Absolute Beginners
by SnarkyFanGirl
Summary: AU-Human. Bella begins her first year at Uni and meets some very interesting people. Rating may change later
1. Chapter 1

**ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS**

_**Author's Note: **__Many thanks to my terrific beta, Rainpuddle13! _

**Chapter One**

_**Bella's POV**_

It had started as the vast majority of all days do – by waking up. I groaned as I rolled over and slapped the alarm clock with more violence than was necessary, and then lay in my bed, trying to rub the sleep from my eyes.

"Aren't you out of bed _yet_?" I cracked open an eye and glared pointedly at my roommate with it. Angela laughed and began shoving books into her backpack. "I always knew you weren't much of a morning person, but come _on_, Bella. It's our first day of class; I thought you'd at least be excited for that."

I sighed and sat up slowly. As much as I hated to admit it, Angela had a point. I'd been looking forward to this day for nearly a year. The start of my college career! I allowed myself a small smile when my friend wasn't looking, and threw the comforter off. I had just finished getting dressed and was in the middle of brushing my hair when my stomach growled.

"Did you eat breakfast without me?" I asked, turning in time to see Angela stifle a grin.

"No, but if we want to make it to class on time, we'd better get going." I hadn't had time to brush my teeth, but my stomach wasn't going to let me make any excuses that would keep me from my breakfast. I grabbed my messenger bag (which I'd packed the night before, due to my excitement), and followed Angela out of the room.

"Do you remember where the dining hall is?" I asked doubtfully, glancing around. The buildings all looked the same to me – except for the library, which was three stories tall and had more windows than any other building I'd seen. It didn't hurt that the library was also smack dab in the center of campus, either – I would have to learn my way around by memorizing what surrounded it.

"Did you even hear me, Bella?" Angela asked, exasperated. I turned back to her and smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, I was looking at the library." She giggled. "What?"

"Leave it to you to find the library before anything else! I was just asking if you knew how to get to Koch after we left here," she said, leading me through a set of glass double doors. The aromas wafting towards me were heavenly, and I was thoroughly embarrassed when my stomach protested again – loudly – that it had not yet been appeased.

"Koch, right," I said, shifting my weight from one foot to the other as we stood in line. "That's…" I turned and looked out the window, frowning. Was it to the East entrance, or had it been to the West? And which door had we come in, again? "Uh, it's over…"

She rolled her eyes and picked up a tray. "I don't see how you plan to make it back to the dorm today if you can't even find your way to your first class."

"I hadn't planned on hiking all over campus today," I grumbled, spooning some scrambled eggs onto my plate. "Two of my three classes today are in Koch. There's a computer lab in there, too."

"What about your last class?" Angela prodded, grabbing a carton of milk. She gave the cashier her student meal card and waited as I did the same. "Where is your last class, anyway?"

"Shermer Hall." I followed her to an empty table and sat down. She eyed me skeptically before opening her milk.

"Shermer, huh? You _do_ know that Shermer is on the edge of the campus, right? It's the farthest building away from our dorm."

"Like that means anything," I laughed. "This campus is small, remember? My number one reason for choosing it – less chances of getting lost."

Angela snorted. "Bella, please. You're already lost. I'd be willing to bet that if I asked you to find your way back to the dorm right now you couldn't do it, and we've only just come from there."

"Shut up and eat your breakfast," I grumbled. She had a point – I had no clue where I was going. How was I going to get around today?

Thirty minutes later, I was wandering around the courtyard in front of the chapel, hopelessly lost. I sat down next to the fountain and dug a small map out of my messenger bag. I had flipped it over several times, trying to figure out what side of the courtyard I might be on, when a shadow fell over me.

"Need some help?"

I looked up, shading my eyes with my hand, and felt my cheeks warm. He was tall, and he had long, dark hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"Um, no, I'm-" I sighed. I'd never make it to class if I didn't ask for help. "Yes, I need help. I am hopelessly lost." He grinned.

"Where are you going?"

"Koch Hall."

"What a coincidence, I was just on my way there. Come on, I'll show you where it is." He jerked his head, motioning for me to follow him. I shoved the map into my bag and stood quickly, losing my balance and nearly knocking him over in the process. He gripped my upper arms firmly, and I could feel my face burning with embarrassment.

"Are you all right?" I could hear the laughter in his voice.

"I'm fine," I said, staring at my feet. It was a lie – I was mortified beyond belief. I hadn't known this guy more than a minute, and already I'd shown him how clumsy I was!

"If you say so. My name's Jacob, by the way." I fell into step beside him, and glanced up. He was still smiling, and it put me at ease.

"Bella," I said, fidgeting with the strap of my bag.

"Freshman, right?" he asked, his grin widening. I winced.

"Is it that obvious?" He laughed, and the volume of it startled me.

"Well, yeah. I mean, you _were_ sitting there with your nose up against the map."

"Right." I glanced around, trying to note all of the buildings we were passing, so I could find my way back if I needed to.

"Aren't you going to ask what year I am?" he asked, a note of disappointment in his voice.

"What year are you?" I asked, turning back to him.

"I can tell you're so interested," he replied, laughing as he shook his head. "This is my second year. And before you ask, yes, I was just as confused as you at the beginning of my first year."

"I doubt that that's possible," I said, smiling. His good mood was infectious.

"Trust me, I was extremely lost. I come from a small town, so I thought that picking a small college was a good idea – I didn't want to get lost on a huge campus." I blinked at him. "What?"

"That's one of the reasons I chose this place, too."

"Really? Where are you from?"

"Phoenix."

"That's not a small town," he said, laughing.

"I lived in Phoenix until I was a Junior in high school, then I moved to Forks, Washington." He blinked at me.

"I'm from that area."

"Really? I don't remember ever seeing you at school." And I felt sure I would have remembered this guy – tall, dark hair, dark eyes – no, I _definitely_ wouldn't have forgotten him.

"Did you go to Forks High?"

"Yeah."

"That explains it. I went to school on the reservation."

"Oh," I said, after a moment's thought. "La Push, right?"

"Yeah," he said, obviously pleased at something. "Well, here we are – Koch Hall." I hadn't realized it, but we were standing on the steps of a building. I frowned and looked around, belatedly trying to figure out what path we'd taken to get here. He laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"You just look so lost."

"I'm just… I guess I'm really unobservant today," I admitted. "I can't really remember how we got here."

"I mesmerized you that much, huh?" I bristled, and then looked up at him. There was a mischievous sparkle in his eyes that made me relax, and I returned his smile.

"I guess so." He started to lead the way into the building, and I tripped on one of the stairs. He caught me before I could smack my head on the railing, and laughed as he helped me steady myself.

"Should I walk you to the classroom and help you sit down, too?"

"I can make it fine by myself, thanks," I said acidly, trying to fight back the heat I could feel rising in my face.

"I'm not too sure about that," he retorted, amused. "You seem determined to give yourself a concussion this morning. It's only the first day; too early to be trying to get out of class." I couldn't help myself, and I laughed at him.

"This is me," I said, pointing to the door ahead of us. "Thanks for the help, Jacob."

"No problem," he said. He hesitated for a moment, and then flashed another brilliant smile at me. "I'll be around here all day, if you need help finding another building."

"Thanks," I said, returning his smile and giving him a small wave before disappearing into the classroom.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Class had passed uneventfully. I was glad that the Professors seemed to want to get us started as quickly as possible and had jumped straight into lecturing, rather than making us do something potentially humiliating – like introducing ourselves. Ugh. Just the thought of it made me grimace; I _hated_ those "get-to-know-each-other" activities. I'd had to endure a few of them during orientation three weeks ago, and I was desperate to never, _ever_ have to do that again.

Thankfully the three morning classes I'd had were all more or less in the same hallway, so I hadn't had to worry about getting too lost. All of the false confidence that that had inspired was out the window now, though. It was noon, and my breakfast was long gone, as evidenced by the quiet rumbling of my stomach. I had no idea how to find my way back to the dining hall, where I was supposed to meet Angela for lunch.

I had been wandering the corridors for nearly fifteen minutes when I saw Jacob again. He was standing outside of a classroom, talking to another guy with short, blonde hair, and using his hands animatedly as he spoke. I was hesitant to bother him, but my stomach would not be denied. I really needed help, and since he was the only person I knew here…I'd just have to bug him and hope he didn't get too mad.

"Jacob?" I called quietly, trying not to disrupt any of the classes that had open doors. He turned in the direction of my voice, and when his eyes fell on me, he smiled. He motioned me over, and I went, stumbling as I did so.

"Bella! Hey, this is Mike, Mike, this is Bella."

"Hey, Bella," Mike said, holding his hand out. I shook it awkwardly, barely glancing up enough to notice that he had really pretty blue eyes.

"Hi," I said, fidgeting with the strap of my bag. I looked up at Jacob. "Listen, I'm really sorry to bother you, but I was wondering, if you're not busy…could you tell me how to get to the dining hall? I'm supposed to meet my roommate there."

His grin threatened to split his face in two. "Only if I can stay and eat with you."

"Um… sure," I said, nodding. I paused for a minute, and then looked at Mike. "You're welcome to come too."

"Cool." Jacob turned and I followed, staying slightly behind him and Mike as they walked. He slowed his steps, and Mike moved so that I was between the two of them. "So Bella, Jake tells me that you're from Washington, like him."

"Yeah," I murmured, surprised that Jacob had mentioned me at all. "Where are you from?"

"Kentucky." Jacob snickered, and Mike rolled his eyes. He leaned toward me slightly to speak softly in my ear. "Jake makes jokes about me being a redneck and being inbred, but at least I went to a real school with real teachers."

"Hey," Jacob protested, holding the door open for me. "My dad was a real teacher."

"And I'll bet you're going to try and tell us that he _never_ let you get away with not doing your homework, or anything like that?" Mike prodded. Jacob's cheeks turned slightly pink, and I couldn't stop my smile.

"Your dad was your teacher?"

"Only for a little while," he said, nodding. He shifted his backpack from his left shoulder to his right. "I had lots of other teachers. But he was completely qualified."

"Yeah, whatever, man," Mike said, dismissing him. They bantered back and forth a bit more, and then suddenly I found that we had reached the dining hall.

"Man," I breathed. Jacob looked at me as he opened the door.

"What?"

"I really need to start paying attention to where I'm going." He laughed and led the way through the line. After we'd gotten our food, I searched the tables for Angela. I finally saw her, sitting at a corner table, her nose buried in a book as she ate. "That's my roommate," I said, nodding towards her. When we got to the table, she looked up, and a slow smile spread across her face.

"Hey, Bella," she said, closing her book. "Looks like you've had a productive morning." I felt my cheeks burn, and I shot her a warning look before sitting down.

"Angela, this is Jacob, and that's Mike. Mike, Jacob, this is my roommate, Angela." She smiled and nodded at them.

"Nice to meet you guys. Do you have classes with Bella?"

"No, Jacob helped me find Koch this morning," I said, my eyes focused on my plate.

"That was very nice of you, Jacob," Angela said, her smile widening. He grinned back at her and picked up his sandwich. "What year are you guys?"

"We're both second year," Mike said. "I'm guessing you're a freshman like Bella, right?"

I blinked. Had Jacob told him everything I'd said?

"Yes, I am."

"What's your major?"

"Psychology." Mike smiled.

"Really? Mine, too."

"Oh, ugh," Jacob said, rolling his eyes. "Like I don't have to listen to his psychobabble enough already!"

"What's your major?" I asked, turning to him.

"Undeclared," he answered, smiling. "I like to keep my options open."

"What's yours, Bella?" Mike asked, taking a drink of his soda.

"Um, English." I took a bite before they could ask me to elaborate more. Thankfully, Angela answered them for me.

"So, what? You want to be a teacher?" Mike asked.

"No, she wants to be a writer," Angela said, smiling at me.

"That's cool," Jacob said encouragingly. I smiled weakly and finished my lunch while the three of them talked. I glanced down at my watch. It was already quarter after one. Angela and Mike were just getting into a heated discussion about the University going green when Jacob looked over at me and rolled his eyes. "Are you done for the day?"

"No, I have one more class at two."

"Where at?"

"Shermer."

"Need help?" I laughed softly.

"Of course."

"I'll walk you over there," he said, standing up.

"I'll come over there and walk you home, okay, Bella?" Angela offered.

"Great, thanks, Ang," I breathed in relief. I stood and picked up my tray. "I'll see you later."

"So," Jacob began, flashing a grin at me.

"So," I answered, smiling back.

"What class are we going to now?" I blinked at his use of the word _we_.

"Trig."

He gave a low whistle. "Why are you taking Trig if you're an English major?"

"It sounded interesting."

"Let me guess: you didn't test out of your freshman math class?" I shrugged. I didn't have the heart to tell him that it was an upper level course, and I had an uncanny knack for all things mathematical. It was the one subject in school that I hadn't had to work overly hard at. "Aw, it won't be so bad." I hid my smile behind my hair and nodded solemnly.

Before we could talk too much, we had reached the building. He opened the door for me, but before he could follow me inside, I turned and smiled at him. "I can make it from here. Thanks, Jacob. I really appreciate your help. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure," he said, smiling at me, though the smile didn't really seem to reach his eyes. "See ya around."

I watched as he walked away, and then went into the building to find my class. It didn't take long (only one lap around the circular corridors), and I found the room. To my chagrin, it was almost empty, save for six other people. That was a bad omen for me. Bigger classes didn't have time for introductions, and anonymity was easily maintained. I could feel my heart speed up nervously.

I sat in the back of the room and dropped my messenger bag on the floor. My bad luck reared its ugly head, and of course the latch on my bag snapped open, spilling the bag's contents onto the floor. I scrambled to gather everything up, even getting out of my chair and kneeling under my desk to claim some errant pens. I was reaching for the last one when a pale, slender hand grabbed it instead. I lifted my head to look up, forgetting that I was under a desk, and slammed the top of my head against the underside of it. My hand flew up to cradle the spot that I could already feel swelling, and I winced.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah," I gasped, pulling my hand away to inspect it for blood. Thankfully there was none, but I was obviously going to have a very nasty bump there.

"That sounded like it really hurt," the voice continued, concerned. "Maybe you should go to the wellness center and have it checked out."

"Look, I'm _fine_," I insisted. "I'm used to this kind of –" My words died on my lips. I had made the mistake of looking up, and I was now staring into a pair of the clearest green eyes I had ever seen. I could feel my mouth opening and closing stupidly in my surprise. His smooth forehead wrinkled, and the corners of his mouth turned down.

"It's worse than I thought," he said quietly. "Why don't you go ahead and go to the wellness center, and I'll tell Professor Cleary what's happened."

It was my turn to frown as I staggered to my feet, careful to avoid hitting my head on the corner of my desk. My head began to spin, and I gripped the back of the chair to steady myself.

"Good afternoon, every- my goodness, what's happened here?"

"She's just hit her head," the green-eyed boy answered. "She's going to go to the wellness center – I think she's hit it pretty good."

"You must be Miss Swan," the other voice stated. "Do you know where the wellness center is?" I shook my head and had to bite the inside of my cheek so I wouldn't vomit. "Why don't you escort her over there, Edward?" I heard him swear softly under his breath, but he did as he was told. He gathered his things, slung his messenger bag over his shoulder, and did the same with mine. We were out of the classroom before I thought to protest.

"No, really – if you just tell me where…" My voice trailed off as I stopped and swayed on my feet. He put an arm around my waist to help hold me up, and I shivered. With him so close, I could smell him. He smelled like soap and cologne and…

"Could you at least _try_ to walk on your own?" he snapped. I frowned, but said nothing – I was too afraid I'd be sick all over him if I opened my mouth. "Here." I felt him leading me to the left, and then I was sitting down. "Put your head between your legs." I did as I was told, and took several shallow breaths.

"Of all the…" he muttered to himself. After a few minutes, I was able to breathe more deeply, and the ground eventually stopped spinning. I kept my head down, but peeked sideways through the thick curtain of my hair. His jaw was rigid as he watched me. "Feeling better?" he asked acidly.

"Yes, you can go now," I breathed, grateful that the urge to vomit seemed to have passed. "Thanks."

"Don't be stupid," he shot back, still frowning. "I was told to take you to the wellness center, and that's what I intend to do."

"Just tell me where it is, and I'll go myself," I said, starting to feel irritated.

"Why do you not already know how to get there? Why was I even instructed to babysit you in the first place?"

I rankled at the word _babysit_. "I am a freshman. Forgive the heck out of me if I didn't bother to commit the campus map to memory before today," I snapped. He blinked, the anger gone so abruptly from his features that it startled me.

"A freshman?" he repeated. I nodded. "Why didn't you leave the class when you realized you were in the wrong room?"

"Excuse me?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.

"You were obviously in the wrong room," he explained, his voice sounding as though he were speaking to a toddler. "That was a 300 level course. Perhaps you _should_ memorize the map, so you can make it to the right room next time." I lifted my head and shoved my hair away from my face. I could feel the angry flush that burned my cheeks.

"Yes, since I'm a lowly _freshman_, not to mention a _girl_, I can't possibly have been in the right room, is that it? I can't be smart enough to take such a high level course, right? If I was in the wrong room, _Edward_, then why did the Professor know exactly who I was?"

He had no answer to that. His brow knit together, and he stared at me, his mouth slightly open. "Er… I seem to have offended you," he began uncertainly.

"Really?" I snapped. "How could you tell?" I stood up and started to stalk away. Belatedly, I realized that my messenger bag was still on the ground next to him, where he'd dropped it when we sat down. I turned and, ignoring him, bent to grab it. Apparently he'd been about to pick it up, too, because he bent over at the same time I did – and our heads bumped. Hard.

"Oh," I moaned, clutching my head. Of course it had to be the same spot that I'd hit on the desk! I plopped down on the concrete, and pain shot through my rear.

"You know," he said smartly, rubbing his head once, "if you hadn't tried to run off like that, this wouldn't have happened."

"If you hadn't assumed that I was a stupid girl, it wouldn't have happened, you mean," I retorted. My eyes were squeezed shut against the throbbing. "You know what they say about people who assume."

To my great surprise, I heard him chuckle. I opened my eyes and saw him giving me a lopsided grin. "You're very…" His voice trailed off as he searched for a word.

"What?" I dared him.

"…_feisty,_" he finished, his grin widening.

"I just don't like double standards," I answered, wincing as I clambered to my feet.

"Explain, please," he said, handing me my bag. I frowned as he stood and slung his own bag over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking you to the wellness center."

"Why?" I blurted. He blinked, and then frowned slightly.

"Because you're a damsel in distress, naturally," he replied. I looked at him through narrowed eyes, and he chuckled again. "I'm only teasing. Look, I promised Cleary I'd take you over there, and since your feeble female mind couldn't handle memorizing the campus, I'd say I'm obligated to follow through with my promise."

"You can't _seriously_ be this asinine," I hissed, shaking my head disbelievingly.

"You can't _seriously_ be this gullible," he replied, his eyes dancing with silent laughter. I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Can you just show me how to get back to Hughes Hall?"

"Is that where you live?" he asked, starting to walk. I followed slightly behind him, and he slowed his steps so that we were even. Was that something that all of guys here did? I frowned.

"Yes. I just want to go home. I'd really appreciate it if you could show me how to get there – or better yet, just tell me how to get there."

"What's wrong?" he asked, still amused. "Don't want to be around me anymore?"

"Not really, if I can help it," I snapped, tired of his teasing. His smile faltered a bit, and he turned his eyes to look straight ahead. "Hey, look – I'm sorry, okay? I just – I don't like it when people assume that I'm an idiot just because I'm accident prone."

"I never-"

"You did," I said flatly. "You thought I was in the wrong class."

"That wasn't because you hit your head," he insisted, stopping to look at me. I stopped and shrugged before folding my arms over my chest defensively.

"Okay, then why?"

"You said you were a freshman," he said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I'm in my third year, and I've never heard of a freshman just jumping into a 300 level course – especially not something so complicated as-"

"Yeah, yeah," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Girls aren't usually good at math, I get it." He smiled.

"Right."

"Fine," I sighed again, hitching my bag higher on my shoulder. "So are you going to tell me how to get back?"

"That all depends."

"On what?"

"On whether or not you'll forgive me."

"For what?" I asked, surprised.

"For assuming." I blinked in surprise and stared at him for a moment.

"Oh…okay." He watched me for several moments before he turned and began walking again.

"This way, then."

I followed him in silence, puzzling over the sudden change in his attitude. We were nearly in front of the building before I realized that he actually had led me back to my dorm, and I stopped and turned to him. "Thanks for your help, I think I can make it from here."

He tilted his head slightly and smiled. "Are you sure you don't need help? Those front steps look rather treacherous." I couldn't help myself, and I laughed.

"No, thanks." I watched as he nodded and turned, and after a moment, I called out, "Sorry for making you miss class." He stopped, half-turned, and nodded before he walked away. I watched until he was completely out of sight, and then went inside the building.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter TwoBella's POV

"No _way_," Angela breathed, hugging her knees closer to her chest. We were sitting on my bed, and I had just finished telling her about Edward. "He sounds like a total jerk!" She paused for a moment, and then grinned at me. "Was he at least cute?"

I rolled my eyes, and exhaled softly. I shrugged.

"Oh my _GOD,_" she squealed. "He totally was, and you're holding out on me!"

I picked at a loose thread on my comforter. "He had really nice eyes," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. She wasn't fooled.

"Color?" She demanded.

"Green."

"Like, mossy green, or sage green, or-"

"Emerald."

"What else? Spill!"

"His hair was a strange color – it was sort of …" I thought about it for a minute, chewing on my bottom lip as I did. "The only color I can think of that comes close is bronze."

"Oh, my," she sighed, leaning back against the wall. She stretched her legs out on the bed. "Was he muscled? I mean, does he look like a jock?"

"I don't think so. It was hard to tell, because he was wearing a button-down shirt, but-"

"So you _looked_ at him," she said, smugness radiating from her every pore. "You _were_ attracted to him."

"You'd have to be dead not to have been," I retorted, frowning. "Still, it doesn't make him any nicer than he was."

"But he was nice to you on the way over here, right? I mean, that's what you said."

"For a few minutes, he was, yes," I conceded, shrugging again. "But I seriously doubt that-" I was cut off by the sound of the phone ringing. I picked up the receiver and held it to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Bella?" I smiled despite myself. Leave it to my dad to call and check up on me on the first day of class.

"Yeah, Dad, it's me."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"How were your classes today?"

"They were fine," I said, mouthing the word _Charlie_ to Angela. She nodded and rose from the bed.

"I'm going to go get a Coke," she whispered. "Want one?" I nodded and watched as she disappeared from the room.

"Just fine?"

"What else would they be, Dad?" I asked, laughing.

"I don't know," he replied, but I could hear relief in his voice. "So, uh, you're doing okay?"

"Fine. I promise. And I promise I will call you within the next three days to let you know how I'm doing then, too."

"Okay. Take care, Bella."

"You too, Dad. Bye."

"Bye." After I'd hung up, I stared at the phone for a minute. I worried about my dad, especially since I knew that now that I was gone, he would have to cook for himself, or else become a constant fixture at the local diner. I laughed softly. He'd probably already done that.

"…but it was so cool running into you," I heard Angela's muffled voice from the hallway. "I'll see you around, okay?" I watched as she opened the door and slipped inside, shutting it quickly.

"What was that all about?" I asked curiously, catching the Coke she threw to me. She rolled her eyes and flopped down on her bed.

"Remember that guy Mike?"

"Jacob's friend?"

"Yeah. Apparently he lives in this dorm." Ah. The hazards of living in a co-ed dormitory. Charlie (my dad) had tried to warn me, but I hadn't listened.

"How did he know _you_ lived here?"

"I don't think he did, until I ran into him in the lounge."

"So? Why the hiding?"

"He asked me out."

"And?"

"I said no. I'm not really looking to get involved with anyone right now – school's just started, Bella."

"I know. You're right. But still… isn't college the time when you're supposed to … I don't know… _experiment?_"

"When _you_ experiment, so will I," Angela declared, laughing. I snorted and shook my head. Like that would happen anytime soon…

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Tuesday's choir class passed beautifully. I wasn't the best singer in the world, but I enjoyed doing it. It counted for credits, and they had been just desperate enough for more voices that they'd accepted me. I didn't know anyone else in the class, so when it was over, I had no one to talk to on the way out. Actually, it didn't really bother me as much as it probably should have – I had just never been an overly social person. I was more than happy to whip out my iPod and "shove those plugs into my ears," as my dad liked to put it. I sat down on one of the stone benches and leaned back on my hands, closing my eyes and lifting my face to the sun.

Angela had insisted on walking me to choir (which was held in the chapel – good acoustics, right?), so I'd gotten there on time. Since it was my only class today, I was in no hurry to go anywhere. It was nice to have some time to myself. I loved Angela, but solitude was a big deal for me.

I think I was there by myself for almost a half an hour, totally and completely blissed out from my blaring music, before he showed up. I swear I must've jumped three feet in the air when I felt his hand on my shoulder. I pulled the ear buds from my ears and opened my eyes, staring at him in utter confusion.

"Sorry – I didn't mean to startle you," he said, giving me a crooked smile. Suddenly I felt flustered, and I had no idea why – which put me on edge.

"Yeah, well, you did," I breathed, trying to sound offended, but only managing to sound as though I'd run a couple of laps. "What do you need?"

"How's your head?" he gestured vaguely with his long, slender fingers. I stared for a minute. For some girls, butts do the job. For others, chests – whether it's pecs or abs. For me? Wrists, hands, fingers… yeah, I'm weird. Sue me. His were beautiful. It took me a minute to realize he was still talking. "Maybe I should go ahead and take you over to the wellness center now."

"No, I'm fine," I said, hurriedly looking away from his hands and hating the blush I felt creeping into my cheeks. "My head is fine. I woke up with a headache, but I'm okay."

"Are you lost?" he asked. I looked up to see him glancing around. He looked back down at me, and I shook my head.

"No, I have a class over here."

"Only music classes are over here," he stated, matter-of-factly. I felt myself bristling. This again?

"So not only can I not do math, I also can't take music classes?" I demanded. He blinked, and then laughed.

"It seems I'm destined to do nothing but offend you every time I see you," he replied. I was surprised when he dropped gracefully down onto the bench next to me. "So what instrument do you play?"

"I don't," I said, scooting away from him slightly. He smelled the same – soap and cologne, and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on…but he smelled too good. My first instinct was to lean closer to him, so I'd be able to breathe his scent in – so of course, I did the exact opposite. He didn't seem to notice.

"Oh?" He looked confused, and then he smiled again. "Choir, huh?"

"Yeah," I said, looking away.

"Aren't you going to ask me what instrument I play?"

"Piano," I replied automatically. He was quiet for a minute, and I looked up to see why. He was staring at me with a strange look in his eyes.

"How did you know that?"

"Lucky guess," I said, trying to block out all of the fantasies that had flooded my mind – images of long fingers, piano keys… guh! And then, before I could stop myself, I blurted, "You have the hands for it." Oh, _god_… I was ready to sink into the ground with humiliation. To my surprise, he laughed.

"Really?" He glanced down at his hands, grinning much more than should be allowed, and then looked back up at me. "How can you tell?"

"Long fingers," I said, hating the way my breath caught. I had to get away from him, before I died of embarrassment. I picked up my bag and stood, and he stood with me.

"Leaving already?"

"My class has been over for a while – I was just sneaking a few minutes to myself."

"Sneaking?" he repeated, his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah… it's hard to be alone in a dormitory full of people."

"I think I can relate to that. I'm not one for dorm life, either."

"Which one do you live in?"

"None," he said, clearly amused. "I don't live in a dorm."

"Ah."

"I value my privacy as well. I have a small apartment off campus."

"Nice."

"Yes, it is," he agreed. I smiled, wondering why we were suddenly chatting like old friends. "So," he said, interrupting my thought, "what were you listening to?"

"Uhm… nothing, really."

"Too embarrassed to tell me?" He guessed.

"Yes," I said honestly.

"What if I promise that I won't laugh? Would you tell me then?"

"Probably not."

"What if I say please?" he asked, leaning towards me a little. His eyes sparkled, and I swallowed convulsively.

"Er… maybe?" I offered.

"Please." Crap, how did he _do_ that? His eyes looked like they'd gone all smoky, and his stare was definitely intense.

"Here," I said, shoving my iPod at him. "You can just look through my playlist, if you want." He grinned and scrolled through it, surprise flickering across his face several times.

"You and I seem to have similar tastes," he said after a while. He handed the iPod back to me, and I shoved it into my back pocket. "I'd be interested in seeing your music collection."

"Sure," I said absently, not believing for a second that he meant it. "Don't you have a class over here…?"

He laughed. "Yes, and I'm going to be late if I don't get going. It was nice running into you again, though. I suppose I'll see you tomorrow in Trig."

"Yeah. I'll see you around, um…"

"Edward," he supplied, grinning at me again. I blinked. I hadn't forgotten his name, just what I was going to say.

"Yeah, Edward. I'll see you."

"Goodbye, Bella." I gave him what I was sure was a watery smile, and turned, practically running in the other direction. If I wasn't careful, I might actually start to _like_ this guy.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Angela and I were eating dinner when Jacob found us. He grinned and sat down. "I hope you guys don't mind if I sit with you."

"Of course not," Angela said, returning his smile.

"How have your first two days of classes been?"

"Pretty good," she said, nodding. I looked up and saw that they were both looking at me, waiting for my answer.

"Okay," I said, feeling flustered. My mind had been totally preoccupied with long, pale fingers. I felt the blood rush up to my cheeks. "Classes have been okay." Angela gave me a knowing look, while Jacob looked confused.

"Bella has three busy days a week, while I only have two," Angela said conversationally, turning to Jacob. "She only has one class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have four."

"And you have more than that?" Jacob asked, sounding somewhat awed. She nodded.

"I have two others."

"Hell, that's a lot of credit hours. How are you going to manage that load?"

"It should be nothing for her," I said, smiling. "She was the class Valedictorian at Forks – she actually wanted to take more classes, and her advisor said no."

"Wow," Jacob said, giving Angela an appraising look. I laughed softly as I saw her blush for the first time in memory, and realization dawned on me. She _liked_ Jacob. She turned her attention to her glass of milk, and Jacob turned to me. "So, have you guys heard about the SAE party?"

"It's only the second day of class," I objected, shaking my head. "And there's already a party?"

"Well, yeah – I mean, are you kidding?" he asked, frowning. "The parties started last week. TKE had an awesome –" his words dropped off, and he shrugged. "Are you girls going?"

"We haven't been invited," I said hurriedly. He laughed.

"You don't need to be invited to a _frat_ party," he explained. Angela grinned. "Everyone just shows up."

"When is it?"

"Friday night. Do you ladies want to go with me?"

"I'll have to wait and see how much work I have to do," I said slowly. This was one of the things that I did not want to experience in college – the frat party. I had heard enough horror stories from Charlie and his buddies about what they'd done as fraternity brothers, and I had no desire to enter into that world. Also, crowds and I don't mix well. Angela scowled.

"I'd like to go, Jacob."

"Hey, great," he said, smiling at her. He turned back to me. "I guess we'll have to wait until Friday to see if Bells is coming." I blinked at him. "What?"

"My Dad calls me Bells."

"Oh. I didn't mean to offend you, or anything-"

"No, it's fine," I said, shaking my head. "It was just unexpected, is all." He wolfed down a huge portion of spaghetti, and I laughed.

"What?"

"You're a big eater, aren't you?"

"I have to be – I play football."

"Really?" Angela was on the edge of her chair, watching him with poorly masked adoration. I smiled and shook my head.

"I'm going to go ahead and go, guys," I said, rising from my chair. "Ang, I'll see you back at the dorm. Jacob, I'll-"

"I'll walk you to Koch tomorrow," he said, grinning broadly. I laughed.

"Okay, see you then." I put my dinner tray up and left the building, putting in my ear buds and clicking on my iPod as I did so. I had taken approximately three steps away when I realized that the song playing wasn't the one I'd been listening to earlier, and I paused.

You are an illuminating anchor  
Of leagues to infinite number  
Of crashing waves and breaking thunder  
Tiding the ebb and flows of hunger  
You're dancing naked there for me  
You expose all memory  
You make the most of boundary  
You're the ghost of royalty imposing love  
You are the queen and king combining everything  
Intertwining like a ring around the finger, of a girl  
I'm just a singer, you're the world  
All I can bring ya  
Is the language of a lover  
Bella luna, my beautiful beautiful moon  
How you swoon me like no other

Edward had been scrolling through my playlist, I remembered… surely he had never heard this song and wouldn't have known the lyrics, right? Still, I felt the heat in my face as I reached down and pressed the forward button, skipping to another song.

I managed to find my way to the library, which thrilled me, and I went inside to find a nice, quiet table to use for reading. I went straight to the third floor and chose the smallest table I could find – it looked no bigger than an end table, really – and flopped down into it. I stared out the window, enjoying the view of campus that it afforded me. From my vantage point, the students below all nearly looked like bugs. It was a funny enough thought that I smiled before reaching into my bag to retrieve a book. I had only read two pages when, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone approaching me.

I looked up and blinked in surprise before removing my ear buds. He sat down in the only other seat at the tiny table.

"Are you following me?" I blurted. He arched an eyebrow at me and fought back a grin.

"I could ask you the same thing. You do seem to keep turning up wherever I go, don't you?"

"Hardly," I scoffed, turning back to my book.

"You've already completed all of your classwork?" he asked, rummaging through his bag for something. I blinked.

"Yes. I finished all of my reading last night. And choir hardly requires any advanced preparation, in case you hadn't noticed." He withdrew his Trig book and placed it on the table, looking at me.

"So you've finished the Trig assignment?"

"No," I leaned forward slightly and glanced between him and the book. "Did we have one?"

"Yes." He opened the book and began rifling through it, and I could feel my temper getting the best of me.

"Well, are you going to tell me what it is, or not?"

"But you said you already had all of your work done, so naturally-"

"Can you quit being a jerk for two seconds, and just _tell_ me what the assignment is?" I hissed, my eyes darting around to make sure that no one was listening. "You know that I wasn't in class long enough to-" That stopped me in my tracks, and my eyes met his.

"What?"

"You weren't in class, either," I accused. "How did you get the assignment?"

"I went back and asked for it," he said simply. We were quiet for several moments, and then he frowned. "Did you just call me a jerk?"

"You catch on fast," I snapped, leaning back in my chair.

"You think I'm a jerk?" He asked again, this time sounding a little surprised.

"Sometimes, yes," I answered, focusing my gaze out the window. I sat like that for so long that I was sure he'd gone. When I turned around, however, he was still there, watching me.

"Closet romantic, eh?" he asked. I frowned in confusion, and he used his long fingers to gesture towards the book I now held in my lap. I shrugged.

"Have you ever read it?" I challenged.

"Of course I have," he returned, smiling a little at the surprise that was evident on my face. "How can you be a self-respecting college student and _not_ have read Mansfield Park?"

"How can you be a self-respecting _man_ and have read it?"

"Now who's the victim of double standards?" He asked, smirking. "I can't read Jane Austen novels because I am a man?"

"You're right," I said, my cheeks burning. "I'm sorry."

He grinned and extracted a pen and a slip of paper from his bag. I watched as he wrote something quickly on the front, and then flipped it over and wrote something on the back. He recapped his pen and shoved it in his bag before pushing the scrap of paper towards me.

"This is the assignment. I think you'll find it fairly easy to complete – I did."

"How long did it take you?" I asked, not looking at the paper as I pushed it down into my pocket. He gave me an odd look, and then shrugged.

"About thirty minutes, give or take."

"Great, thanks." He was still looking at me strangely when he rose from his chair.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Sure." I watched him walk away, and with an exasperated sigh, went back to my book. But how was I supposed to concentrate now? Every time I read the name Edmund, I confused it with Edward! I snapped my book shut furiously and decided to just go back to my room.

The next morning, I awoke in a terrible mood. I hadn't gotten much sleep, and the sleep that I _had_ gotten had been fitful at best. I kept having nightmares – about what, I couldn't remember, but they'd done a good job of keeping me from being rested.

For the most part, Angela gave me my space, for which I was grateful. We ate breakfast in silence, and when she got up to leave, I followed. I waved as she disappeared out of sight, and turned to head to class, bumping face-first into Jacob.

"Whoa," he said, grinning broadly. "I know you're excited to see me, but-"

"Whatever," I grumbled, adjusting the strap of my bag. He frowned.

"Everything all right?" We began to walk away from the dining hall.

"Yeah, I just didn't sleep well, is all."

"That sucks," he said apologetically. "Were you up late partying or studying?" I glared at him, and he laughed, which made me feel a tiny bit less grumpy. "Studying, right."

"How come you're always in such a good mood?" I grumbled.

"How come you're not?" he countered. I rolled my eyes and tried to fight a smile. "I don't know. I guess it's just my nature."

"Don't your cheeks ever hurt from smiling too much?"

"Don't be ridiculous," he laughed, as we approached Koch. "I don't smile every second of the day."

"You seem to when you're with me," I shot back, allowing him to open the door for me.

"Yeah, well…" his voice trailed off for a minute, and then he grinned again. "That's just for you." I stopped and turned to look at him, nearly getting run down by other students hurrying to their classes. His grin faltered under my gaze.

"You've barely known me for three days," I pointed out quietly.

"I'm a man who knows what he likes," he replied, completely serious now. Suddenly his smile was back. "And you'd better get to class, if you don't want to be late. I'll find you later and walk you to lunch."

I watched in disbelief as he walked away, and finally got my own feet moving down the right hallway. I'd never so much as had a boyfriend in high school, and on my third day of college, this guy tells me he likes me? It was exciting because he was cute and seemed really nice… but at the same time, it was disheartening. I realized, as I plopped down into my chair, that I'd rather have heard that declaration from someone else. Another guy I didn't even know.

What in the hell was wrong with me?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3Edward's POV

I hadn't been distracted by any of the extracurricular activities on campus so far. Of course, it was only the third day of classes, but still. I had managed to sidestep anyone handing out information about organizations, or any other sort of "educational materials" – in other words, flyers for frat parties. I was determined to enjoy my third year here, and I was not going to get distracted.

Distractions… like the brunette distraction that was coming into the room now. I'd run into her the first day (literally), and then yesterday I'd run into her twice again. Obviously I'd be seeing her twice a week, during our Monday/Wednesday classes. Perhaps I'd even see her four times a week, if I ran into her again on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but- I shook my head. Cleary had started lecturing, and I needed to focus.

I managed to concentrate long enough to make a half page of notes before my attention was diverted elsewhere. She was sitting in the front of the room today, and I was two rows behind her, so I was able to see every time she moved, no matter how minute the movement was. Currently I was being enthralled by the way she was tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. I frowned and looked back down at my paper.

I had been here for three years. I had had no social life to speak of; the only outings I went on were those that were forced upon me by my siblings, whom I lived with. My parents, who were beyond wealthy, had allowed us a small house off-campus. My father had insisted that we would need the privacy and the space in order to concentrate, since dorms were, by definition, extremely loud places. Since my brother Emmett had decided that our modest house was now party central, I had taken the small apartment above the garage. Yes, I was disconnected from the rest of the house, but I liked it just fine. I had all the privacy I needed, and if I needed company, all I had to do was enter the main house.

My sister, Alice, was a tiny slip of a thing who loved nothing more than a good shopping excursion. My brother Emmett was big and burly, but essentially good humored. By looking at us, no one would believe that we were related. No one who saw us would have known that we were triplets.

I blinked and tried to bring myself back to the present – apparently I had daydreamed the entire class away. Thankfully Cleary had written our new assignment on the board. I copied it down hastily and rose, watching as Bella shoved her ear buds in and clicked a button on her iPod before heading out of the classroom. I followed behind her for a bit, ready to duck out of sight if she turned around, but she never did. She bounced a little, and when I dared to get close enough, I could see her lips moving. I couldn't help the smile that threatened; I was guilty of the same offense. I sang along silently whenever I listened to my favorite songs – it was a terrific source of entertainment for Alice and Emmett, who teased me endlessly about it.

I was still walking along with that ridiculous smile plastered across my face when I realized that she had turned around, and was staring at me. I smiled a little wider, and she hesitated for a moment before sending a weak smile back to me. She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again, and with a small shake of her head, closed it again, before she turned and continued walking away from me.

Before I could stop to rationalize what I was doing, I hurried closer to her, and then fell into step next to her. She blinked at me in surprise and kept her eyes forward, but pulled her ear buds out.

"Hi," I said, nodding.

"Hi," she breathed. She fidgeted with the strap of her messenger bag before peeking sideways at me. "Was there something you wanted?"

"Can't I just say hello to you?"

"I suppose."

"So, how did you find the assignment?" I asked, trying to make conversation. She stopped walking and turned to face me fully, her cheeks flaming. I was surprised to find that I thought it attractive.

"You _know_ how I found it, but then I suppose you had to come and rub it in, huh? Is that how guys here get off?" I blinked in surprise, and frowned at her.

"How we 'get off'?" I repeated, confused.

"You gave me the wrong assignment," she snapped, her eyes flashing angrily. "Don't tell me you didn't hear Cleary make a big deal about it for the whole class to enjoy." I didn't know what to say – I couldn't very well admit that I _hadn't_ been paying attention.

"Look, about that – I'm really sorry," I said honestly, hoping she could tell that I meant it. "I must've-"

"It's fine," she snapped, waving weakly with her hand. She shifted from one foot to the other and stared down as she spoke. "I had trouble with it, anyway." When I remained silent, she glanced up at me. "Isn't this your chance to make fun of me?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I'm a girl and I was in a math class that was too advanced for me?" she pointed out, frowning.

"I'm sure if I hadn't given you the wrong assignment, you would've been quite capable of-"

"Yeah, whatever," she dismissed me by waving her hand again, and started walking. I caught up with her. "Look, you've gloated – can I go now?" Her voice was hard and frustrated.

"I wasn't trying to gloat," I said, clearing my throat. Her frown deepened, but she didn't stop walking or look at me again. "And if you were having trouble, you could have called me." That made her stop, and she turned to give me a confused look.

"Excuse me?"

"You could have called me," I repeated, feeling stupid. An idea was starting to dawn on me, and I frowned. Hadn't she seen it?

"And how exactly would I have done that?"

"I gave you my phone number." I didn't know what had possessed me at the time, but I'd scribbled it on the back of the assignment paper I'd shoved towards her two days ago.

"No, you didn't," she said, returning my frown.

"Yes, I did."

"_No_, you didn't," she insisted. "I would have remembered if you had." Was it my imagination, or had the pink on her cheeks darkened?

"I did give it to you. I wrote it on the other side of the paper I gave you the assignment on." She frowned, and then reached into her back pocket. She withdrew a piece of paper, and I could see my handwriting on it. Still frowning, she flipped it over. Her frown smoothed out, and she blinked several times.

"Oh." This time, I was certain that the color on her cheeks had deepened. "There it is. Edward Cullen."

"You never saw it?" I asked, trying to steady my voice. Why did the sound of my name on her lips make my hands tremble like that?

"Why would I?" she asked, biting down on her lower lip for a moment. "The assignment was on the front."

"Has a man never given you his phone number?" I asked, teasing. She blushed and looked away. I felt my jaw drop. "Really? _Never?"_

"It's not like it's that big of a deal," she said defensively. "And besides, you didn't seem to actually _like_ me, so why would I have thought you would give me yours?"

I stared at her. Did she not realize her appeal? She was not the norm on this campus. I was used to seeing girls with so much makeup that they must have had to use a putty knife to remove it. They wore clothing so skimpy that it left little to the imagination. My brother was all for their attire – he loved nothing better than to ogle a pretty girl.

But Bella – there was something different about her. It wasn't that she wasn't pretty, but rather that she was a different _kind_ of pretty. She wore no makeup, her upper lip was slightly more prominent than her lower lip … but everything about her was _warm_. Her chocolate hair, her coffee colored eyes, even the way her eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled.

…which she definitely was _not_ doing at the present moment.

"Why do you think I don't like you?" I asked curiously, tilting my head to the side a bit. She wrinkled her nose as she thought, and it struck me that it was cute as hell. That's when I realized I was in deep trouble.

"You were a jerk, remember?" She half-smiled when she said it. I grinned.

"Ah, yes, you think I'm a jerk. Is it too late to make amends and possibly change your mind?"

"What did you have in mind?" she asked cautiously, her expression turning wary. I had to laugh again.

"I'm not going to haze you, or anything," I reassured her. "I just wondered if maybe I could interest you in dinner – off-campus," I clarified. "The food here leaves a lot to be desired."

"I like the food just fine," she said honestly. "Not that I meant that I didn't want to go with you," she said hurriedly. I smiled again.

"Is that a yes?"

"Um…" she fidgeted with her bag, and reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. I wasn't sure why, but the gesture ignited a slow burning sensation in the pit of my stomach. "Sure, I guess."

"Don't sound so enthusiastic." She rolled her eyes at me and tried to hide a smile. It didn't quite work.

"Right. I'm sure you're used to having girls fall all over you before you ask. In fact, you probably don't even _have_ to ask, right?" I felt my cheeks warming and shrugged noncommittally. She laughed softly. "I knew it."

"Friday night?" I suggested, captivated by the way her teeth caught her lower lip again. She was quiet for a moment, and I thought she would say no.

"What time?" She asked finally.

"Six. I'll swing by Hughes and pick you up."

"Okay." She glanced up at me and gave me a tight smile before nodding and turning away. This time I didn't follow; I simply watched her retreating form. When she was completely gone from sight, I headed for my car.

Once I had pulled my car into the garage, I went straight to my apartment. Usually I stopped in the house to let Alice know that I was home, because she tended to worry if I didn't check in – but today, I wanted to be alone with my thoughts. I hung my bag on the back of my desk chair and began searching my CD collection for a specific title. When I found it, I slipped it into my stereo, turned the volume up, and laid on my bed, staring at the ceiling. Music flooded the room, and I closed my eyes.

You are an illuminating anchor  
Of leagues to infinite number  
Of crashing waves and breaking thunder  
Tiding the ebb and flows of hunger  
You're dancing naked there for me  
You expose all memory  
You make the most of boundary  
You're the ghost of royalty imposing love  
You are the queen and king combining everything  
Intertwining like a ring around the finger, of a girl  
I'm just a singer, you're the world  
All I can bring ya  
Is the language of a lover  
Bella luna, my beautiful beautiful moon  
How you swoon me like no other

I must have drifted off to sleep like that, because the next time I opened my eyes, a furious pixie-like face was in front of me.

"Edward Cullen, I was worried sick!" She ranted, folding her arms across her chest. "Since when do you not let me know that you're home?"

"I'm sorry I forgot today, _Mother_," I teased, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. She arched an eyebrow at me, and looked around the room once, before her eyes returned to me.

"Why aren't you studying?"

"I'm allowed to take a break now and then."

"Yes, you _are_, but you never _do_," she pointed out. "Emmett and I have tried a million different things to get your nose out of your books, and we haven't been able to. I don't think I've ever seen you take a nap before," she accused.

"I'm fine, Alice," I sighed, weary of the overprotective bit that she did so often. "I swear. I was listening to some music, and I – I over relaxed." She stared at me for several moments, and then burst into trilling laughter.

"_Over relaxed?_ That's one I've never heard before!"

"Shut it," I said affectionately, letting my eyes slip shut as I smiled at her. I felt my bed shift under her slight weight as she sat down on the edge.

"So who is she?" My eyes shot open, and I stared at her. She looked entirely too smug for her own good.

"What?"

"Who is she?" She repeated, trying (and failing miserably) to look innocent.

"I take a nap and you automatically think there's a girl involved? I don't even want to know how your addled mind came to that conclusion."

"Methinks thou dost protest too much," she sang. I rolled my eyes.

"It was a nap, Alice. _A nap_! That's it."

"Mm hmm." She was clearly taunting me. I usually didn't rise to the bait, but damn it! How had she _known?_

"I was tired. I've been stressed out." She nodded, trying not to smile. "I've been working on my composition, and- _damn it, Alice!_"

"Are you going to tell me her name, or not?"

I exhaled angrily and closed my eyes. "Bella," I muttered. I winced when she squealed and clapped her hands.

"Where did you meet her? What's she like? When are you going to ask her out?"

"School, pleasant enough, and I already have, in that order." The noise in the room abruptly stopped, and I cracked an eye open slightly to look at her. She was staring at me, her mouth dropped open. "What?"

"You've already asked her out?"

"Yes, so? You just asked me when I was going to."

"But, Edward – you _never_ – not since-"

"I know," I said, cutting her off.

"Wow," she breathed, awe in her voice. "She must really be something."

"She's really not," I countered.

"Is that so?" she challenged.

"She's got brown hair, brown eyes, she's barely taller than you, and she's apparently painfully shy."

"All right," she said, watching me.

"What?" I snapped.

"So what's the draw?"

"I don't know," I said, knowing that I sounded as frustrated as I felt. I didn't get it, either.

"Is that all you know about her?"

"She listens to some of the same music I do."

"How do you know that?"

"I looked at her iPod."

"Edward…" she began slowly. I opened my eyes fully. She looked wary. "You did that with _permission_, right?"

"How else would I have done it?" I snapped, stung.

"I was just asking," she replied, holding her hands up defensively. "You know how the men in our family tend to be."

"I am not _stalking_ her, Alice! I have a class with her, and another class right after one of hers in the same building."

"Okay," she said, her voice apologetic. I knew that she was remembering my fixation several years ago with a girl named Tanya – I had followed her around like a puppy for several weeks, trying to learn everything about her. Not that she hadn't encouraged it, of course – she'd known that I was watching her, and had, on several occasions, left her blinds open while dressing. We'd starting dating, and when she'd grown bored of me, she'd reported me to the local authorities. Thank goodness that my father had been good friends with the detectives involved, and nothing had come of it. I'd learned my lesson from that experience, and hadn't been involved with a woman since.

Emmett, on the other hand, jumped in with both feet when he was interested. He followed his object of interest around blatantly, and was completely obvious with the woman. It always seemed to work for him, though, which I had never figured out. The women he harassed never seemed to mind, and certainly never complained.

"She's-" I hesitated. "This might sound crazy, but – she's completely _normal_. She's pretty, but she's not gorgeous. She seems smart. She's shy." I stopped talking, unable to find the words I was looking for. Alice stared at me.

"You like this girl," she said finally, surprise evident in all of her features.

I nodded slowly. "I think I do."

"And you don't even know her."

"Alice," I said warningly, recognizing the look in her eyes. "Do _not_ do anything stupid. I've only just met her, it's not like I'm going to marry her! I'm just taking her to dinner!"

"Oh, _no_," she said quickly, shaking her head. "Make her dinner, instead. Cook for her!"

"No." I shook my head. There was no way I was going to subject that poor girl to my sister. Alice may be small physically, but she's got a big personality, and she tended to get her way, no matter what.

"Edward, please? She'd appreciate it so much more, knowing she had a man who knew his way around the kitchen!"

"No, Alice."

"If you don't do it this date, do it next time!"

"Who says there will _be_ a next time?" I asked, exasperated. She smiled slyly and rose from the bed.

"There _will_ be a next time," she said surely. She had made it to the door before turning and giving me an enigmatic smile. "By the way, we've ordered pizza for dinner. It'll be here in half an hour." With that, she was gone. I frowned.

Alice had an uncanny knack for predicting things. It wasn't often that I'd disagree with her, and certainly not after seeing the look I'd just seen on her face. Maybe that was what was unnerving me so damned much.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4Bella's POV

I walked away from Edward with a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something wasn't right, here. He was just too attractive to be asking me out. I hadn't believed he was really asking at first, but … at any rate, even if he stood me up, it was a good excuse to get out of going to the frat party Jacob had told us about. If he stood me up, I'd have the whole night to myself. I straightened up a bit, and bounced a little as I walked. That was a promising thought, actually.

I laughed silently at myself. I never thought I'd see the day when I _hoped_ I'd get stood up for a date… especially not by someone as beautiful as Edward Cullen. A sigh escaped my lips involuntarily – he _was_ beautiful. And he _seemed_ interesting enough… he'd certainly held my attention last night, when I hadn't been able to sleep. All I'd seen when I'd closed my eyes were his green ones.

I wasn't sure why that was, but it had made me extremely uncomfortable. I'd never been so fixated on someone before, and it was scary… although it was sort of scary in a good way. I think. I shook my head, trying to clear it of those confusing thoughts, and sighed. Angela, Jacob, and Mike were all waiting for me in front of the dining hall. I trudged up to them and forced a smile.

"Hey, guys."

"Bells!" Jacob said brightly. I followed them inside. "I was just telling Ang here how I've got a couple of friends to introduce her to." I glanced at Angela, who shrugged and smiled. She seemed okay with it, so she must not have liked Jacob _too_ much.

"It's going to be a terrific party," Mike added, reaching for a bowl of Jell-O. "You're coming, right, Bells?" I fought back a grimace. The nickname didn't sound as natural from Mike as it did from Jacob. We'd just sat down at the table, and I prayed that a new subject would be opened, but he persisted. "Well, Bella? You're coming, right?"

"I can't," I replied, deliberately not meeting anyone's eyes. "I have a date."

Angela started coughing, and I looked up. She'd apparently been taking a drink when I'd spoken, and she'd been so surprised that she'd started to choke on her drink. Jacob smacked her back once, and she held up a trembling hand to stop him.

"I'm f-fine," she stuttered, shooting an incredulous look at me. I shook my head slightly at her, hoping she'd get the idea. She did – she quickly changed the subject. "So, Jake, tell me about these friends you want to introduce me to."

Jacob flashed me a strange look before turning to her. I sat and listened to the three of them chatter to each other while I picked at my food. It wasn't fantastic food, but it seemed as though suddenly I couldn't find anything appetizing. I frowned; I was not overly picky, so why didn't I want to eat it now?

"Are you all right, Bells?" Jacob's voice broke through my thoughts, and I looked up. I forced a smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"You've hardly touched your food."

"I grabbed a candy bar from the vending machine earlier," I lied, feeling Angela's eyes on me. She knew I didn't really care for chocolate. Jacob seemed to accept my answer, though, and smiled.

"Better watch the candy," he said, spearing some food with his fork. "Or you'll gain the freshman thirty." I glared at him, suddenly annoyed.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that women don't like to be told to watch their weight?"

"Jake, really," Angela said gently, shaking her head. "That's okay, we have to get going anyway." She picked up her tray, and I followed suit, too grateful for words.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow, right?" he called after us. Angela waved over her shoulder without turning back, and I followed her out of the dining hall.

"Well?" She prompted, when we'd gone halfway back to the dorm. "Do you _really_ have a date, or were you just lying to get out of the party?"

"No, I really have a date," I said, playing with the strap of my messenger bag. Her smile was huge.

"Well? Spill!"

"Remember that guy from my Trig class?"

"The jerk?"

"Yeah."

She nodded, waiting for me to continue. I nodded once, and looked at my feet. She gasped.

"No! Really? How did that happen?"

"I… don't really know," I said, a small smile surfacing. "I think he said he wanted to make it up to me that he'd been a jerk."

"You like him," she accused, her grin still plastered across her face. "You're smiling."

"I don't know," I said, shrugging. "I mean, I think he's good looking. And he so obviously isn't the partying type, which is kind of refreshing, you know?"

"You've been here all of three days, and he's _refreshing?_" She laughed, and I had to join her.

"He's just different, is all."

"Well, then you and he are a match made in heaven, because it just doesn't get any more different than Bella Swan." We laughed all the way back to the dorm.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Thursday dawned and brought with it the feeling of promise. I didn't understand why, and I couldn't put my finger on it, but I was very hopeful this morning. I puzzled over it as I got dressed; I thought about it while I brushed my teeth and washed my face; I worried about it while I slung my messenger bag over my shoulder. Finally I shrugged and decided I was concentrating too hard on trying to figure out why I was happy. I decided to skip breakfast, and instead went straight to my class… even though I was an hour early.

I walked slowly, trying not to feel overly put out when the already gray skies started to open up. I had always hated rain, and today the weather seemed determined to try and get rid of my unusually good mood. When the moisture transitioned from gentle sprinkling to a steady downpour, I ducked under the nearest roof I could find. It wasn't much of a shelter, since it was a gazebo, but any reprieve from the wetness was okay by me.

I sat down on one of the wooden benches to wait out the storm. Instead of the rain slackening, however, it only got worse. The wooden roof of the gazebo was beginning to leak just a bit, and it annoyed me. Didn't campus maintenance take care of this place? I frowned as I studied my surroundings. There were a myriad of carvings all over the wooden surfaces, and seeing the graffiti only served to deepen my annoyance. These were supposed to be _college_ students – people who were here for higher education and knew better than to deface the school's property! I was still seething about it when I heard a loud curse nearby. I turned, and immediately felt my face heat up. I'd recognize his unruly bronze hair anywhere now, I think.

I waited until he'd jumped onto the second step of the gazebo, and watched as he tried to shake the rain out of his hair. "Are you following me again?" I blurted. He turned, utter surprise etched on his face.

"Bella," he breathed, his surprise receding after a moment. He shot me a crooked grin. "You accused me of following you to the library, too. You've got a rather high opinion of yourself, don't you?"

I rolled my eyes, but fought down the disappointment that rolled over me. Well, what had I expected? It wasn't like he was about to profess his undying love for me, right? I frowned when I realized that I'd be just as happy if he'd told me he'd been thinking about me. Crap, what was happening here? I barely knew this guy!

"For all intents and purposes, it looks like you've been sitting here, waiting on me." He smirked.

"Now who's got a high opinion of himself?" I retorted, biting back my smile. He had the good grace to look sheepish, and he shrugged as he lowered himself onto the bench beside me.

"Right," he said, dropping his messenger bag on the ground beside him, and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He ran a hand through his damp hair, and I bit my lower lip. Most guys I knew were so concerned with their appearance that they wouldn't have dared to touch their hair after it had been styled; he didn't seem as though he minded one bit. He turned to look at me, and I averted my eyes quickly. "You know that your class starts soon, right?"

"Twenty minutes," I agreed, nodding. I thought for a moment, and then turned to him with a frown. "But yours doesn't start for a lot longer than that. What are you doing here so early?" Something surfaced in his eyes, but before I could analyze it, it was gone.

"Practice," he said, shrugging gently. "I don't have a piano in my apartment, so if I want to practice, I have to do it here."

"That sucks, huh?" I asked, screwing up my face. He looked confused. "Having an apartment _without_ a piano. The ultimate in suffering." He caught on, and laughed. His grin made my heart skip a beat, and I took some quick breaths to try and calm it back down.

"Point taken," he said, clearly still amused. We sat there in silence for a few minutes, just listening to the rain, before he spoke again. "It's only the fourth day of classes, and you're already going to just blow one off?"

"It's not like I _want_ to," I said, gesturing to the heavy curtain of rain. "But if I have to miss one, this is the one, I guess. It's only choir."

"Easy way to keep up your GPA?" he guessed. I blushed, but nodded. He grinned. "Same here with the piano. I-" Before he could continue, I heard the soft strains of a piano playing. He muttered to himself and pulled a small silver phone out of his pocket. "Hello?" I averted my eyes and tried not to listen.

"No, Alice, I'm fine. Look, can I call you back? I-" I glanced back at him, unable to stop myself. He looked irritated. "I'll talk to you later, all right?" He snapped the phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket.

"My sister," he said apologetically. I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "She annoys me to death sometimes."

"Is everything okay?" I asked, not really wanting to pry, but wanting to be polite, too.

"Fine," he said, waving his hand dismissively. My eyes zeroed in on his long fingers, and I could feel my cheeks warming unnecessarily. "…just knows I hate rain, you know?"

I blinked, and when I looked up, I saw that he was giving me a strange look. "I'm sorry, I was just…" I didn't have a good excuse. I shook my head and exhaled with a puff. "I spaced out."

"I was just saying how much I hate the rain," he said, blinking at me before frowning down at his hands.

"Yeah, I hate it, too," I said quickly, turning my eyes back to the curtain of water that surrounded us.

"What are you listening to today?" He asked, leaning towards me slightly to look at the iPod that I was still holding in my hands, and had forgotten to turn off. I shoved it towards him, and he examined the screen for a moment before smiling.

"What?" I asked, my annoyance creeping into my voice.

"Nothing." His expression was a little too innocent to be believed, but I didn't say anything. Instead I pursed my lips together and refused to look at him. It wasn't fair that he looked so good after getting drenched, especially since I was sure I probably looked like a half-drowned rat. I was weak, though, and snuck a sideways peek at him. He was holding his cell phone in his hand again, and he was frowning down at it.

"Are you having a bad day?" I asked finally. He shook his head.

"No, why?"

"You're frowning an awful lot," I pointed out.

"It's the rain," he said, sighing. "It's going to make me miss my class."

"You could always just brave the rain," I offered, shrugging.

"And exactly how would you suggest I do that? I didn't bring an umbrella."

"Hold your nose and run." He immediately burst into laughter, and I turned my face away from him to smile.

"I think I'll pass, thanks," he said, still grinning crookedly. "Besides, you could have done the same, and didn't. You're right; if I have to miss a class, this is the easiest one to miss."

"Yeah, but I didn't hold my nose and run because I can't do both at the same time," I said, smiling back at him now. "With my luck, I'd fall and break something."

"It can't be as bad as that."

"You remember how we met," I said, mock-frowning at him. He grinned again.

"Okay, it _is_ that bad."

"I told you."

We sat in companionable silence for a bit, just listening to and watching the rain as it came down. It didn't seem as though it had let up at all, and I sighed. If it kept up much longer, I was going to miss my lunch date with Angela – though if I were being perfectly honest with myself, I wouldn't really mind missing out today.

"It's weird," I said finally. He turned to look at me.

"What is?"

"I hate the rain, but the sound of it is soothing." I bit my bottom lip, wondering if he'd think I was an idiot for saying it, and wondering at the same time why I would even care if he did.

"I understand," he said, looking back out at the rain. "I find it relaxing, too. I have a CD of thunderstorm sounds that I listen to on occasion."

"Really?" My surprise must have registered in my voice, because he looked up warily.

"Yes." I scrolled through the music on my iPod and showed him the screen. It showed the title of CD that my dad had bought me from the natural science museum several years ago – it was nothing but rain and thunderstorm noises. Edward's eyebrows shot up when he read it, and he turned surprised eyes to me.

"That's the one I have," he said. I smiled hesitantly, because from the tone of his voice, I wasn't sure if he thought that was a good thing or a bad thing. After studying my face for a few minutes, he smiled back. My heart skipped several beats, and I felt like an idiot.

I'd found boys attractive before. I'd had a huge crush on the quarterback of the football team during my freshman year of high school. I'd pined for a few of the members of the men's swimming team during my junior year. I found several guys here attractive, too. As much as he unnerved me, I found Jacob really attractive. So why was it that I hadn't had the same reaction to any of those guys, and I felt like I was basically having tiny heart attacks every time Edward smiled at me?

I was confused again, and I didn't like feeling confused. I could feel the corners of my mouth tugging downward, and he started to look confused.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No," I said, deciding not to think about it at the moment. It was hard to hold on to my thoughts around him, so I would wait until I was back in my warm, _dry_ dorm room before I puzzled it all out. I shook my head and forced a smile. "So now we've both missed our classes. Are we delinquents?"

He laughed softly, and I shivered. It was only a reaction to getting caught in the rain and then sitting in wet clothes… right? "I don't think anyone will hold it against us. I think it's actually starting to let up a bit." I looked up and sighed. It did seem to be slowing down.

"What's the matter?" he asked, a teasing note in his voice. "Not ready to leave my illuminating presence?" I stiffened slightly, but only because he was sort of right. I would have loved to sit there with him for a bit longer. The realization surprised me, and I shot to my feet, edging towards the steps. He sat up a little straighter and eyed me carefully.

"Um…"

"I was only kidding," he said, holding his hands up in apology. "I'm starting to think I really am meant to offend you every time we see each other."

"No, I'm not offended," I assured him quickly. "I just have to get to the dining hall. I was supposed to meet my roommate, and I don't want her to think that I stood her up."

"Well, then," he said, rising to his feet as well. "I'll walk you over there and explain why you were held up, so she won't be angry with you." I stared at him, trying to think of all the reasons why I shouldn't let him do that, and came up blank. I _knew_ there were reasons why I should refuse, I just couldn't think of them with him standing in front of me, smiling like that. I bit down gently on my bottom lip, and then nodded.

"I'd like that." His smile widened, and we waited in silence for a few minutes for the rain to subside enough to venture out of the gazebo. When it finally did, we walked briskly to the dining hall. He reached for the door handle at the same time I did, and our hands brushed together. Electricity shot up through my fingers. I let out a small gasp, and our eyes met. We stood there in the rain, watching each other intently, until a group of students came up behind us. He took a step backwards to allow them around him, and I tried to take a step in the same direction so I would be out of the way, too – but it didn't quite work out that way.

One of the males in the group, apparently in a _very_ big hurry to get inside, elbowed me as he walked past – effectively sending me tumbling straight into Edward. I grabbed onto his arms to try and steady myself. When I lifted my eyes, I saw that our noses were only inches apart. I could _feel_ his breath on my face. My heart began to beat erratically, and my fingers reflexively tightened on his arm. For one agonizingly long moment, I really thought he was going to kiss me.

I was very disappointed, therefore, when he gently extricated himself from my grip, and held the door open for me. I forced a weak smile. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." He hesitated, and then shook his head slightly. "I'll see you tomorrow in class."

"Right." I nodded, and went inside, trying to ignore the strange fluttery sensation in my stomach. I glanced at the tables, and saw Jacob and Mike eating and talking, but there was no sign of Angela. I turned to get in line, and saw that she was standing just a few feet away, her mouth hanging open. "Hey, Ang. Is something wrong?"

"Is _that_ the guy-"

"Yeah," I said quickly, cutting her off. She exhaled noisily and followed me through the line.

"He is _way_ hotter than you let on," she accused, sounding breathless. "What were you two doing?"

"We got caught in the rain together," I said, shrugging. I wished she hadn't seen us together – now I was going to be subject to embarrassing questions all night. She sighed.

"That sounds so romantic."

"It really wasn't," I said defensively. "It was cold and wet, and really kind of miserable."

"How could you be miserable when you had _him_ to look at? Honestly, now that I've seen him, I think it's a wonder that you get anything done in that class you have together."

"What do you mean?"

"If I were you, I'd be staring at him the whole time instead of paying attention to the Prof."

"He sits in the back of the room, and I sit in the front," I said, my cheeks flushing. She was right; if I sat anywhere in the room that made it easy to stare at him, I probably would. I wondered briefly if he had looked at me at all yesterday, but my thoughts were interrupted when we sat down at the table.

"Bella!" Mike said, his voice louder than necessary. "You look like you swam here."

"Thanks, Mike," I said, smiling despite the comment. My encounter with Edward, as confusing as it had been, had left me in pretty good spirits. Jacob shot a huge grin at me, and I couldn't help but return it.

"How was your class today?" he asked.

"Oh," I said, looking down at my food so he wouldn't see the blush that surely stained my cheeks. "It was fine."

"Everything's always fine," he laughed. "Isn't anything ever _good_?"

"It was good," I amended. Angela's eyebrows shot up, but mercifully, she didn't say anything. I listened for several minutes as Mike and Jacob discussed the party – apparently Mike was going to walk Angela over to the SAE house from our dorm, and they were going to meet Jacob out front.

"Are you sure you can't go?" Jacob asked, as we were taking our trays up. I shook my head and tried to look sorry about it.

"Maybe next time."

"Where'd you meet this guy you're going out with, anyway?" he asked curiously. I noticed that Angela and Mike had stopped talking and were listening to us, which made me nervous.

"He's in one of my classes."

"That's cool," he said, though I got the feeling that he didn't really mean it. "So what are you doing Saturday?"

"Um, probably studying. Why?"

"I thought that if you weren't doing anything, maybe you and I could catch a movie and some lunch, or something." I blinked in surprise. Two dates in as many days? I worried my bottom lip between my teeth for a few seconds. It wasn't like Edward and I were in an exclusive relationship – or any at all, for that matter – so what would it hurt?

"Sure," I said finally. The smile that lit up Jacob's face was brilliant.

"Really? Great! I'll come by around eleven." I was utterly surprised when he dropped a quick kiss on my cheek, but before I could say anything, he had loped away. Mike gave us a half-wave before he followed. I was so surprised, I'd frozen in place, my fingertips pressed against the skin that his lips had grazed. Angela giggled.

"It looks like you're in for an interesting weekend," she said, still laughing. She tugged on my arm, forcing me to move forward again. "Though I don't know why you'd say yes to him when you have that other guy to keep you busy."

"I didn't want to hurt his feelings," I said finally, dropping my hand to my side. "Besides, it's not like Edward and I are in some kind of exclusive relationship, or anything. It's one date."

"Don't try to downplay this to _me_, Bella. I've known you for too long for it to work."

I smiled. "I know."

"You like that other guy. You don't like Jacob."

"I like him well enough," I said, though it sounded weak even to my ears. She shook her head.

"You are lukewarm about him." She went into the building, and after a few seconds, she turned around with a sly grin on her face. "But I hope the other guy sets you on fire."

"Angela!" I gasped, a shocked laugh bursting free. She giggled again, and all I could do was shake my head at her. How could she know that I was secretly hoping for the same thing?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter FiveEdward's POV

I was in so much trouble.

It hadn't been my intent to get stuck with her in that gazebo yesterday. It had, however, happened directly as a result of my trying to get to class early just so I might run into her like last time. I suppose that the fates had other things in store for me – and I had had her to myself for nearly two hours, so who was I to complain?

We'd fallen into some easy teasing, which was something I wasn't used to doing, except with Alice or Emmett. And then she'd asked why I was there so early, and I'd had to make something up, fast. I would have to be careful that if I ever brought her back to my home, I would have to be and sure to close off the basement of the house – where my baby grand piano was kept.

She'd believed the lie, though, and our banter had continued until I'd realized that she was staring at my hands with a faraway look on her face. What was wrong with my hands? I stared at them for several minutes after that. I couldn't help the compulsory look I gave them _now_. My fingers weren't freakishly long, were they? They were pale, since I didn't particularly enjoy sunbathing, but other than that, I couldn't tell what was wrong with them.

She'd told me she'd just spaced out, but apparently she wasn't a very accomplished liar, because her cheeks had turned pink. I knew it was an untruth as soon as she'd started talking. I frowned down at my hands again, turning them over to examine them more closely. Alice insisted on giving me a manicure once a month, but other than that… wait. Had she noticed my fingernails? Maybe I would have to have a talk with Alice about that.

I'd been thinking about it so much while she'd talked to me that I hadn't realized that I'd been frowning so much, and she'd called me on it. It was easy enough to use the rain as an excuse, and she'd believed that, too. Interesting. At home I seriously questioned my lying abilities, because Alice and Emmett always seemed to see through me. But with Bella – well, she seemed to believe every lie I was telling her so far.

Our discussion about rain had led to another surprising revelation – she owned the same thunderstorm CD that I had. My siblings had teased me relentlessly about it when I'd purchased it. I would have loved nothing more than to take Bella's iPod home for a few days, and dissect every single song on it, to see if our tastes were really as similar as I was starting to believe.

She really was quite enchanting. I smiled to myself as I walked across the courtyard towards the library. I enjoyed the way that the blush spread across her cheeks when she was embarrassed… which seemed to be often. I wondered briefly if her face would be as flushed after she'd been kissed. I felt that same strange sensation in my stomach, and berated myself for even entertaining the thought. I had no idea if she was even interested in me like that!

"Excuse me." I turned, surprised, to see a dark-haired girl falling into step with me.

"Can I help you?" I asked, trying not to sound _too_ rude, but trying not to be too encouraging, either. I'd had enough of random girls approaching me during my freshman year here. It never ceased to amaze me that the girls here were so brazen, but I tried to be polite… until they gave me a reason not to be.

"Are you Edward?"

I blinked. Well, that was a first – one of them knowing my name before approaching me. "Yes," I said cautiously.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Angela," she said, sticking out her hand. "Bella's roommate."

_Oh. _I shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Angela."

"Bella told me that you guys have a date tonight," she said, a wide grin appearing on her face. I nodded. "I just… I thought it might be helpful for me to inform you that Bella really likes you."

I stopped walking and turned to stare at her. Had Bella put her roommate up to this? She didn't seem the type, but then again, I didn't know her well enough to know either way. "Excuse me?"

"Please don't tell her I did this," she begged, her smile gone. "She'd kill me if she thought … but I really thought you should know, you know? I know she's very quiet and she can be sort of stand-offish, but-"

"Bella's quiet?" I asked, chuckling softly. "That's a new one on me." She blinked owlishly at me.

"You mean she talks to you?"

"Does she not normally talk to people?" I asked, confused.

"Women, yes. Men? Rarely. At least, not more than a friend capacity." There was something new to ponder. "Maybe since you helped her that first day…" She mused, letting her voice trail off.

"So she's suffering from Florence Nightingale syndrome?" I offered, frowning. "You've come to tell me that she really likes me, but it's because I helped her after she was injured?"

"No, God no!" she said, rolling her eyes. I felt strangely elated by her words. So Bella liked me? "She totally thought you were a jerk that first…" her voice died, and she looked horrified. I just laughed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean… I just meant that maybe that made her feel more comfortable with you, now that you know about her condition."

"Condition?"

"Her clumsiness."

"Oh, right."

"Anyway, I can tell from the way that she talks about you that she really likes you, and I just wanted to give you the obligatory best friend speech."

"Which is?" I was barely listening. Bella had been talking about me to her friends?

"You know, the standard 'if you hurt her, I'll kill you' routine." She smiled, and I smiled back as I shook my head.

"I understand. But really, it's only a date, so no need for the concern."

"It's only your _first_ date, you mean," she said, her eyes dancing. I blinked. That was almost the exact same thing that Alice had said to me only this morning. "But the promise still stands. I have to meet someone for lunch, but it was nice to meet you," she said, giving me a small wave as she turned and began to walk away.

"Wait," I called. She turned and arched an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah?"

"How do you know she likes me?" Her grin lit up her entire face.

"I just do. Have fun tonight!" She bounded off before I could question her further, and I could feel the frown that blossomed as I forced my feet to propel me forward. Bella must be very close to her roommate, for the girl to feel protective enough of her to seek me out. I could feel the corners of my mouth turning up in a stupid smile. Bella liked me, and she liked me enough to talk about me to her friends! Those thoughts made me buoyant enough that I nearly floated to the library.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I had ever had so much difficulty with killing time before. I had been in my apartment pacing for nearly thirty minutes when Alice decided to just barge in.

"You know, the whole reason I took this apartment instead of a room in the main house was so I could have _privacy_," I said pointedly. "Don't you ever knock?"

"You took this apartment to get away from Emmett's wild parties, not me," she said smartly, bouncing over and dropping a brown bag on my bed.

"What's that?"

"Your outfit for tonight."

"Alice," I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Is that a trick question?" she asked, gaping in horror.

"No, it most certainly is not!" I glanced down for the millionth time at my neatly pressed slacks and black button-down shirt. Alice frowned and reached into the bag, pulling out a pair of jeans and an emerald colored sweater. She shoved them at me.

"These will look so much better than what you've got on," she said, waiting for me to take them. "They're more casual – you're dressed like you're about to go to a funeral!"

"I am?" I looked down again. Did I look that bad? It was the moment of uncertainty that Alice had been apparently waiting for, and she shoved the clothes at me again, this time impatiently.

"Yes, you are. Put these on. The sweater will do wonders for your eyes." She smiled brilliantly at me before heading for the door. "I'll be waiting up for you so I can hear every detail."

"Don't hold your breath," I muttered after she'd closed the door behind her. I frowned and changed clothes. When I looked in the mirror, I was pleasantly surprised. The sweater was a V-neck, which I never wore, and the jeans were a little tighter than I would have chosen. Alice was right, though; this outfit _did_ look better – and knowing that I looked decent made me relax a little bit.

But I'd be damned if I was ever going to say any of this to Alice. She'd be dressing me for the rest of my life if I ever did that.

I glanced at the clock. Four thirty. Why was I so impatient today? Over the last several days, I'd spent more time with Bella than I had with any other girl in the last three years combined… discounting Alice, of course.

I _like_ this girl.

The thought wasn't as unsettling as it had been this morning, and I wondered if it had anything to do with her friend telling me that she liked me, too. An hour and a half until I would see her again… so what did I do to keep myself busy in the meantime? I frowned and looked around. My eyes fell on my computer, and an idea presented itself. We had music in common, right? So would it be completely awkward if I made her a CD with some of my favorite songs on it?

I debated for a minute, and then decided that if it felt too weird, I could just decide not to give it to her. I'd make it, and we could listen to some of it in the car. If she liked it, I'd give it to her; if she didn't say anything, I wouldn't, either.

I sat down in front of the computer and went to work.

At five fifty-five, I was walking up the steps to Hughes Hall. Before I could even get to the door, Bella emerged and smiled at me. I couldn't help the stupid grin I felt suddenly rise to the surface. She looked lovely, as I had expected her to. Her long, dark hair was pulled away from her face by a gold headband, so I could see all of her pretty, heart-shaped face. She was wearing a red V-neck sweater that hugged her curves, and I felt my smile fade just a bit. I'd only seen her in loose t-shirts this week, so the sweater threw me. Her jeans almost looked like a second skin, they were so tight. I forced deep breaths, trying to calm my suddenly ragged breathing.

"Sorry," she said, giving me a wry smile. "My roommate decided that she wanted to play dress-up with me tonight. This isn't… this isn't something I would normally wear _anywhere_."

"I like it," I blurted, hating the way my voice broke when I said it. Her cheeks turned red, and she looked down at her feet as she smiled.

"Thanks. You look nice, too."

"My sister decided to play dress-up with me as well." Her head snapped up, and her smile was so brilliant, my breath hitched.

"She did?" She looked relieved, and I motioned for her to walk with me as I started back to my car. "I don't feel so bad, then. I mean, knowing that I'm not the only pushover."

"Yes," I said, chuckling. "Why do you suppose that is, that we let others push us around like that?"

"Only when it comes to clothes," she specified. I nodded. "I don't really have too much of a fashion sense. I tend to stick to whatever is comfortable."

"Me, too."

"Really?" she asked, eyeing me thoughtfully.

"What?"

"All this week, I haven't seen you in anything other than slacks and button-down shirts. Is that your idea of comfortable?"

"It is, actually. I suppose you could say that it's my t-shirt and jeans." She blushed again and smiled.

"I guess I'm a minimalist," she said. "I don't have a huge wardrobe, and I didn't really have anything to wear tonight – so Angela basically _made_ me borrow something of hers. Since I don't have any fashion sense to speak of, I trust hers implicitly." I made a mental note to thank her roommate. The sight of Bella in those tight clothes was doing funny things to me, and not just physically.

I led her towards my car, where she stopped and stared. "What?" I asked, immediately concerned. I followed her gaze towards my car, wondering in a panic if someone had keyed it while I'd gone to get her. "What's wrong?"

"_This_ is your car?" she squeaked. I nodded, frowning, as I opened the door for her. She slid in, and I closed the door for her, taking a deep breath as I did. I had never felt like such a pervert in my entire life as I did just then. When she'd gotten in, her already low-riding jeans had exposed the tiniest view of the top of her undergarment – which was baby blue. I inhaled shakily as I walked behind the car to get in. My mind didn't seem to want to reel itself in, though, and even as I got behind the wheel, all I could think about was seeing that scrap of blue on the floor of my bedroom.

"Is there something the matter with my car?" I forced out finally, turning the key in the ignition. She shook her head.

"No."

"Then why such a reaction to it?" I listened intently as the CD I'd made began to play.

"It's just – a really nice car," she said, turning slightly to look at me. "Not one you'd expect a typical college student to have."

"Ah," I said, understanding. It was quiet then for several minutes, except for the music playing softly around us. "So, how was your day?"

She laughed softly. "Interesting."

"Interesting how?" I prodded, glancing sideways at her.

"Interesting as in, I stayed in my room nearly all day by myself, listening to music and reading."

"I think I can appreciate that more than you'd think."

"So where are we going? Or is it rude to ask that?"

"Why would it be rude?"

"I've never actually been on a date before," she admitted, her eyes turned away from me as she blushed. "So I didn't know if it was bad etiquette on my part to ask."

I stared at her, nearly swerving into the lane of oncoming traffic as I did. I jerked my eyes back to the road in front of me, and frowned.

"You've never been on a real date?"

"You sound surprised."

"I am," I admitted, sneaking a glance at her. She was watching me, her cheeks still pink.

"Why?"

"So no one has ever asked you out?" I asked, deflecting her question.

"Once or twice, but they weren't guys that I was interested in." I wasn't sure how to digest that statement, so I opted for teasing.

"Does that mean that you're interested in _me_?" I waited for her retort, but when none came, I glanced over at her again, only to see her staring down at her hands in her lap.

Finally, she spoke. "I guess it does."

"I only meant to tease you," I said, feeling horrible that I'd embarrassed her, and strangely elated at the same time. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"That's okay," she said, shaking her head.

"If it helps at all," I began, clearing my throat, "I'm interested in you, too." Her eyes shot up, and she bit down on her bottom lip. The gesture shot straight to my core, and I felt that strange burning sensation in the pit of my stomach that was becoming the norm every time I was around her. She didn't say anything, though, and I was starting to think I'd offended her, because three songs came and went before she spoke again.

"This is a really good CD," she said, her eyes fixed on the dashboard. My heart soared. "What is it?"

"Actually," I said, turning into the parking lot of the restaurant, "it's one I made for you." She turned her surprised eyes to me.

"You made me a CD?"

"I was just thinking about how every time we bump into each other, you've got your iPod with you, so I know you like music. I remembered some of the things on the playlist I saw, and I thought you and I had similar tastes… so I made you a CD." I turned the ignition off and turned in my seat slightly to look at her.

"I think that's probably the nicest thing a boy has ever done for me," she breathed, her eyes still wide.

"You can't have known very many nice boys, then," I hedged, leaning towards her slightly. I felt the warmth that had pooled in my stomach surge outward as she leaned towards me a bit, too.

"I haven't," she agreed, her eyes darting down to my mouth, and then back up. Before I could convince myself that it was too soon, or that it was a bad idea for any other reason; before I could completely register the fact that her eyelids were shutting, I closed the distance between us and barely pressed my lips to hers.

When I raised my hand to cup her cheek, I could feel her trembling, and I thought that I understood why – I was feeling it, too. Electricity seemed to crackle all around us; it seemed to flow between the places where our skin was touching. I heard her sigh, and pressed my lips more firmly against hers, before pulling away and giving her a shaky smile. My hand was still on her face.

"That was interesting," she breathed, her eyes hooded. I nodded my agreement, but it felt more than interesting. It felt like molten lava was flowing through my entire body.

"I've started things completely backwards," I said, surprised at how husky my voice had come out. "I gave you the goodnight kiss before we've even had dinner."

"I don't mind," she replied. I pulled away reluctantly but kept my eyes trained on her. She was beautiful; there was a light in her eyes that hadn't been there a moment ago, and the blush that stained her cheeks went all the way down her neck, disappearing into the sweater.

"Are you hungry?" I asked finally, willing myself to tear my eyes away from her and look towards the restaurant.

"Starving, actually," she admitted. When I looked back at her, most of the redness was gone from her face. I got out of the car and walked around to her side to open the door for her, taking the time to wonder just what in the hell I was doing, kissing her like that. I opened her door and held my hand out to help her out of the car. She slipped her hand into mine, and it felt like she'd shocked me. I shut her door for her and kept her hand in mine as we began to walk. She didn't pull away, so I hoped that meant that she didn't mind.

"I hope you like this restaurant," I said, glancing over at her. The corners of her mouth were turned upward – not enough for a full smile, but definitely amused about something.

"I'm sure I will," she said confidently. I squeezed her hand gently and led her inside.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Dinner had gone well, I thought. We'd had to sit at a smallish sort of table across from each other, but it made for good conversation. If I'd been sitting next to her, right within arm's length, I doubt I would have done very much eating _or_ talking. The urge to touch her was so strong that it made my fingers itch.

After we'd left and were seated in my car once more, I felt twitchy. I was trying to keep my eyes on the road, especially since it was starting to get dark outside, but I was also trying to figure out what to do next. It was still early yet, and I didn't want the date to be over. It had gone better than I had hoped it would.

"Did you have plans for us to do anything else?" she asked suddenly. I frowned. Did I admit to the truth, or did I lie through my teeth?

"Not really," I admitted, choosing to tell the truth. "Was there something you wanted to do?"

"Can we just go back to Hughes?" I felt the air _whoosh_ out of me as though I'd taken a punch to the gut.

"You're ready to go home?"

"You did say you'd be interested in seeing my music collection, didn't you?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at me. And just like that, it was all better. I was suddenly elated.

And nervous.

I mean, she was inviting me back to _her room._ It may not have meant the same thing to her, but to me, it was a very personal gesture. I had never let a girl into my room that wasn't somehow related to me, and even then reluctantly. My room was my sanctuary, and because I felt that way, I was very private about it.

Then again, she had a roommate, so maybe she didn't feel the same way that I did. Besides, this wasn't her _real_ bedroom – her real bedroom was back in Washington. Those thoughts calmed my racing heart down quite a bit.

"Yes, I believe I did," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. It didn't work – she frowned.

"If you don't want to-"

"I want to," I interrupted quickly. She blushed and caught her bottom lip between her teeth before looking out the window. I smiled to myself at her reaction. "Will your roommate be very put out that you've brought a strange man to see your room?" I teased.

"Angela isn't going to be there," she said, shaking her head. "She's at the SAE party with Ja-" She stopped and cleared her throat. "She went to the party with some friends of ours."

"Didn't you want to go with them?" I asked curiously, turning into the dormitory's parking lot.

"A world of _no_," she replied vehemently. I laughed, caught off guard by her response.

"Why not?"

"I'm not one for frat parties. For parties, period," she averred.

"Then you're lucky I asked you out for tonight and not tomorrow night," I said, chuckling. She smiled at me.

"Trust me, I've been thanking whatever powers that be that you did." I turned slightly to look at her.

"What would you have done if I hadn't asked you out?"

"I would probably be at the party right now, just because my friends would've roped me into it."

"Ah, but I thought you didn't let people tell you what to do except when it came to clothes," I pointed out, grinning.

"I don't let people boss me around," she confirmed. "But guilting me into things is another matter entirely." That was an interesting bit of information. I shook my head and got out of the car, rushing to open her door for her again.

"You don't have to do that, you know," she said, smiling at me anyway. We began the walk towards the building.

"Yes, I do. My mother raised me the right way." She laughed.

"Then she'd be very proud of you right now, wouldn't she?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been the perfect gentleman all night." Except for the kiss I'd stolen, I agreed with her. If she'd known the thoughts I'd been having about her all night, though, she never would have said that.

I followed her inside. She led me up the stairs, to the third floor, and turned right. I was trying to memorize the route so I could find my way out when it was time to leave. We stopped in front of room N-303. She pulled her key out and unlocked the door, then flipped a light switch.

The room was worse than small; it was so tiny, it seemed criminal to even call it a room. There was a bed against the left wall, and one against the right. I could tell just by looking that hers was the one on the right. The comforter was a warm shade of blue, the bed was unmade, and her iPod was lying on top of it. There was a shelf that ran the length of the bed, and there were so many CDs on the shelf, I wondered that it didn't collapse under the weight.

She turned to me and smiled hesitantly. I pointed towards the right side of the room, and her eyes followed the motion of my hand. I watched as her lips parted slightly, and I frowned. I was going to speak to Alice the moment I got home. If Bella thought ill of my manicured fingernails, I'd never let Alice near them again as long as I lived.

"Your side?" I guessed.

"How did you know?" She asked, her chest rising and falling just a bit more rapidly than it had been.

"Your iPod," I said, nodding my head towards it. I shoved my hands down into my pockets, and she shook her head a little bit.

"Right," she replied, smiling. "Well, it's not much, but it's home for now. That's part of my music collection – you can look at it if you want to." I had moved over to her bed and bent over the shelf before her statement registered.

"_Part_ of your collection?" I looked at her curiously. She shifted her weight from foot to foot and nodded.

"The bigger part is at home in Washington," she clarified. "I only brought the ones I thought I couldn't live without." I had to laugh at that. "What's funny?"

"Nothing," I murmured, turning my attention back to the music. "You just sounded like me." She had some interesting things in her collection, I thought. I had been right – we had extremely similar tastes. She had a lot of the same things I had in my own collection. When I had finished looking, I turned to find that she was sitting on the far end of her bed, just watching me.

"Well?" she asked, darting her eyes away when I caught her looking at me. "What's the verdict?"

"You're not completely hopeless," I teased. "You have a lot of the same things that I do – though there are some things in your collection that I seriously question."

"As in?" I glanced back at the CDs, searching for one in particular that had brought a smile to my lips. When I found it, I pulled it out and held it up. She blushed furiously.

"Okay, you can _not_ hold that one against me. It was a gift."

"But you brought it here with you, so I am assuming that it is one that you can't live without," I shot back, feeling smug. She laughed and moved to take it away from me. I raised my arm above my head, effectively putting the CD out of her reach.

"I didn't pay for it, so I haven't perpetrated any musical crime!" she cried, lunging for it again. I laughed. I couldn't remember the last time I'd had so much fun.

"You may not have paid for it, but it's obvious that you listen to it. That's criminal enough!"

"Edward," she whined, reaching for it again. "Give it back!" When she realized that she wasn't going to get it back, she did something that completely threw me off balance.

She _pouted._

I mean, she _really_ pouted. She stuck her lower lip out and tilted her head down, and then looked up at me from beneath a thick fringe of lashes. "Please give it back, Edward?" The sound of her soft voice combined with the look she was giving me was pushing me into sensory overdrive. Suddenly I realized with stark clarity that we were alone, in her room, on her _bed_.

I froze.

It was either that, or lunge across the bed and devour her tempting pouty lips with my own. I didn't want to scare her off, so I froze. Then I had an idea. There might be a way out of this situation that would benefit me without making me look completely insane. After a moment, I lowered my hand and gave her a wicked grin.

"I'll give it to you, but you have to give me something for it."

"What do you want?" she asked cautiously.

"Another goodnight kiss." I loved the way her cheeks turned red. She bit her lip for a moment, looking as though she was thinking it over, and then nodded.

"I can do that."

"This CD must mean a lot to you," I said, holding it out to her, and hoping that my hand wasn't shaking. I could feel the crackling of the electricity in the room, surrounding us as it had earlier in the evening. She shrugged, and gave me what looked like an extremely shy smile before she reached out and took the CD. I watched as she replaced it on the shelf, and then she turned to me.

She wasn't moving, so I took the initiative and scooted closer to her. She bit her lip again, but she didn't look away from me. I moved in slowly, feeling the burning sensation roar to life in my stomach. When our lips were nearly touching and I could feel her breath on my face, I paused.

"You don't _have_ to do this," I whispered. "I would have given it back." She opened her eyes and smiled softly.

"I would have kissed you even if you hadn't."

I swallowed a moan and slid my lips onto hers. We stayed like that for a moment, and then I opened my mouth, catching her bottom lip between mine and sucking gently. She shivered, and then I felt her hands on my shoulders. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer to me as I continued my assault on her lips. Over and over I caught her lips up in mine, reveling in the feel of her.

When I tentatively touched my tongue to her lip, she opened her mouth to me. Our tongues moved against each other, and I began to feel lightheaded. When her fingers began moving in the back of my hair, I moaned. She kissed me harder, rising to her knees on the bed and losing her balance as she did, effectively pushing me back against the wall. I felt, rather than heard, the gutteral noise that rose in my throat. It wasn't very far removed from a growl.

She whimpered softly, and I plunged my tongue into her mouth relentlessly, because the sound of her had shot straight to my groin. I left her mouth to kiss a hungry line down her jaw, and then I did something I'd wanted to do all night. I opened my mouth and tasted the skin of her throat. She moaned, and I pulled her even closer. I had just placed several kisses on her throat, trying to work my way down to the base of it, when the sound of the key in the door made us jump apart.

She scooted very quickly to the opposite end of her bed and pressed her palms to her cheeks for a moment. I ran a shaky hand through my hair and took a deep breath. When I'd finagled the promise of a kiss, I had never expected that either of us would have such an extreme reaction. I was happy for it, but it still surprised me that we'd kissed in such a frenzied manner.

When the door opened, Angela stopped and stared at us. She looked back and forth between us, a knowing gleam in her eyes. To her credit, however, she said nothing about our red faces, our slightly swollen lips, or the bed's comforter, which was hopelessly rumpled. She shut the door behind her and threw her key onto the small dresser on her side of the room.

"Did you have fun?" Bella asked, her voice breathier than I'd ever heard it.

"Sure," Angela said, rolling her eyes as she sat down on her bed and began removing her shoes. "If you think getting hit on by drunken frat boys _fun._"

"Oh," Bella said, clearing her throat. "Angela, this is Edward. Edward, Angela."

"Nice to meet you, Edward," Angela said, smiling. I returned the smile as easily as I could.

"It's nice to meet you, too, Angela."

"So, um," Bella started, rising from the bed. "Did you have _any_ fun at all?"

"Well…" Angela hesitated, and Bella turned to look at her, surprise written all over her face.

"Well what?" She demanded. I grinned and rose from the bed, thinking that I'd sufficiently calmed my body's reaction to kissing Bella, and sort of half-waved at Angela.

"I think it's probably time for me to be going," I said. I could tell that Bella wanted to interrogate her friend, and I had no desire to hear anything about a frat party.

"Oh," Bella said, looking disappointed. My heart soared again. She didn't _want_ me to leave. "Right. Well, I'll just walk you down, then."

"Sounds good – I need to get your CD out of my car, anyway. It was very nice to meet you, Angela." I followed Bella out the door, but before it was shut, I heard Angela answer me.

"See you around, Edward." I grinned to myself and followed Bella back down the stairs, and out into the parking lot. I was enjoying just walking behind her and studying her movements when she suddenly turned to face me.

"I'm so sorry about that," she said, barely meeting my eyes. "I don't usually – I mean, what we just did – that's not something I normally do."

"What we just did?" I repeated, feigning confusion. She bit down on her lip.

"I don't usually make out with guys I don't really know," she blurted, slapping a hand over her mouth as soon as the words were out. I laughed in surprise.

"First of all, we didn't really 'make out.' There's a lot more involved, if I remember correctly, so don't feel too badly about that. Secondly," I said calmly, opening the door to my car, so I could reach in and eject the CD. "As a rule, I don't do that, either." I replaced the CD in the case I'd brought for it, and handed it to her. She looked down at it for a minute, and then looked back up at me.

"I've never done it before," she said simply. I studied her face for several moments.

"That was the first time you've ever-"

"Tonight was the first time I've ever been kissed, period," she clarified, clearing her throat and shuffling her feet a little bit. I stared at her in astonishment.

"I'd like to amend my earlier comment," I said finally, still amazed. "Not only have all the men you've known not been very nice, they've also been complete morons." Her cheeks darkened and she laughed softly.

"Thank you for dinner," she breathed, still smiling at me. "I really had a good time tonight."

"Does that mean you'll permit me to take you out again?" I asked, my voice quiet.

"Of course." She held up her CD. "Thanks." She started to back away, but I reached out and grabbed her arm, gently tugging her closer.

"No goodnight kiss?" I whispered.

"I thought you'd already gotten it at the beginning of the evening," she said breathlessly, tilting her chin up.

"I forgot," I lied. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers in a very chaste kiss before releasing her and pulling away slightly. "I'd like to see you again tomorrow, if I may." I hated the note of uncertainty that made my voice waver slightly.

"Yes," she said simply.

"You'll have to call me," I said, feeling my lips twist up in a wry smile. "I don't have your number."

"Oh!" She reached into her back pocket, and I tried not to imagine what it would feel like to stick _my_ hand into that same pocket. She withdrew a small scrap of paper and shoved it towards me. I took it from her and opened it, smiling when I saw her name scribbled above her number – as if I'd forget who the number belonged to. "Okay. I'm going to go back inside, because I'm sure I'm facing the inquisition as it is, so-" She bit down on her bottom lip, looking unsure about something, but then she leaned over and placed a quick kiss on my cheek before turning and practically running back to the dorm.

I couldn't erase the stupid smile from my face the entire way home.

I had just pulled my key out to unlock the door to my apartment when I heard the sound of footsteps coming up my stairs. I rolled my eyes as I opened the door.

"Couldn't wait until morning, Alice?" I flopped down on my bed, lying on my back, and folded my arms beneath my head. She smiled brightly as she shut the door behind her.

"Nope. You knew I wouldn't."

"Yes."

"So? Did she like the outfit?"

"She said I looked nice." Alice frowned. "What? Is that bad?" I laughed.

"_Just_ nice?" I nodded. "She has no sense of fashion, either," she accused, nearly pouting. I chuckled.

"No, not really."

"I thought as much. So how did it go? Should we plan the wedding now?"

"Ha, ha. It went very well, actually."

"Then why are you home so early?" _Because her roommate walked in on us making out._ The thought made the blood rush to my cheeks, and to my chagrin, Alice noticed. "What happened?"

"Nothing," I said automatically.

"Edward," there was a threatening note in her voice. I sighed.

"We had dinner, and then she showed me her CD collection. That's it."

"Then why are you blushing like a little girl?" She persisted, narrowing her eyes at me. I laughed resignedly. She wasn't going to leave me alone until I told her.

"Her roommate walked in while I was kissing her." Alice's jaw dropped in surprise.

"You _kissed_ her? But why would that make you blush, unless…" Her voice trailed off, and I winced as the wheels turned in her head. "You weren't _just_ kissing, were you?"

"Yes," I said defensively. "That's all we were doing."

"Mouth on mouth only?" she asked shrewdly. I shrugged, my eyes focused on the ceiling. "Edward! Come _on!_ You just met this girl, and you're already making out with her? You _know_ this is killing me, and you won't tell me _anything!_"

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"But the cat didn't have a brother who had just been on his first date in years!"

"You know, it really disturbs me that you're this interested in my love life."

"Love life?" she echoed. Crap. I'd stepped in it now. "I don't think I realized exactly how much you seem to like this girl when we talked about it before. I want to meet her."

"No!" I said quickly, sitting up and shaking my head. "I just met her, I don't want to scare her away already."

"Edward Cullen!" she gasped, glaring at me. "Are you suggesting that I would embarrass you?"

"You're just a little… _overzealous_ sometimes, Alice. That's all. I want to ease her into-"

"You're not easing her into anything if you've already had your tongue in her mouth!" she snapped. I winced. It sounded horrible when she said it that way.

"I really wish you wouldn't put it that way."

"When is your next date?"

"We don't have one."

"You didn't ask her out again?" She stared at me in disbelief.

"Is that bad?"

"She's going to think you don't like her."

"That's not true – I told her to call me tomorrow, and we'd-" I stopped. Her trick had worked, and she looked entirely too smug about it.

"So you _are_ going out tomorrow."

"Not technically," I said, trying to backpedal. "I asked if I could see her again tomorrow. I didn't ask her on a date."

"Please, Edward!" She begged. "I really want to meet her. If she means this much to you already-"

"What do you mean, 'means that much to me'?"

"You're hiding her from me! You're being completely selfish!"

".."

"Fine, be selfish! If you won't share her, I'll figure out a way to meet her on my own."

"Alice, don't do that," I said, feeling a tiny bit panicked.

"You've left me no choice, Edward," she said resolutely, turning to leave.

"Fine," I said, defeated. "I'll bring her by tomorrow, _if_ she agrees to it. But I'm not promising that we'll stay!" She bounced and clapped her hands.

"You won't regret it!" And then she was gone. I rolled my eyes and dropped my face into my hands. I regretted it already.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter SixBella's POV

I watched from the front door of the dorm as Edward pulled out of the parking lot. When he was gone, I pressed my forehead against the cool glass. I knew I was just putting off the inevitable by not returning to my room, but I needed to collect myself before I did that.

I had had my first date and received my first kiss in the same night. It was a little overwhelming to think that Edward had been attracted to me enough to ask me out, but then when he'd kissed me… I could feel my face burning as I remembered it. And it hadn't just been a quick peck every time, either. He'd kissed me like he _meant_ it.

I really liked him. More than I'd originally thought, it would seem, since I'd basically attacked him on my bed. I groaned and smacked my forehead lightly on the door. I wondered if my bed would smell like him at all. He hadn't been sitting on it that long, but still. And if it _did_ smell like him, there wasn't a chance in hell that I was going to be able to sleep tonight.

I turned and headed back up to my room, moving as slowly as I possibly could. I fingered the CD case in my hands, feeling the silly smile that touched my lips. He'd made me a CD! I knew it was silly, but I felt like I was holding some little piece of him in my hands. Suddenly I couldn't wait to get back to my room so I could put it on my iPod.

When I got back, Angela was sitting on her bed, waiting for me. "OH MY GOD, Bella!" She squealed. "What were you guys _doing_ before I came in?"

"Nothing," I said, refusing to look at her. I went straight to the tiny desk in the corner of the room and opened my laptop.

"Well, that nothing sure looked like a lot of something," she remarked, moving to sit on the corner of my bed. She was right next to me now. "Your faces were really red, and he looked awfully smug."

"He looked smug?" I repeated, finally looking up at her.

"Yes, like he'd won the lottery, or something." I rolled my eyes.

"Don't make it out to be more than what it was."

"And what was it, exactly?"

"Nothing," I insisted, inserting the CD into my computer, and watching as the hourglass turned on the screen.

"Would he tell me it was nothing if I asked him?"

"Probably," I said, shrugging. I could feel my cheeks burning.

"He made you a CD, Bella," she said, sounding completely exasperated. "It's obvious that he really likes you. I don't think he'd tell me that you weren't doing anything."

"The CD doesn't mean he likes me," I denied, clicking the _Import_ button. I attached my iPod to the USB cable. "It just means he's trying to convert me to some warped version of musical –" I stopped and sighed. What was the point of trying to deflect her? "I _hope_ he likes me. Even if it's only half as much as I like him, it'd be good enough." She squealed and clapped her hands together.

"I knew it! So tell me all about it." I hesitated, and she rolled her eyes. "Bella, I sat through several hours of a _frat_ party. I need something to cheer me up – like hearing about my best friend's awesome first date with her hot new boyfriend!"

"He's not my boyfriend," I objected, turning back to the computer screen. I dragged the tracks over to the little icon that represented my iPod, and dropped them.

"All right, but you didn't deny that it was an awesome date."

"It was," I admitted, smiling at her. She grinned. "He took me to a really nice Italian restaurant for dinner."

"And?"

"And then we came here so I could show him my CD collection." She looked disappointed.

"All you did was go to dinner? No necking in a dark theater or anything?" At the word necking, my face felt like it went up in flames. She narrowed her eyes as she took my reaction in.

"No theater," I clarified, my voice breaking. Her eyebrows shot up.

"You guys were making out when I came in," she realized aloud. "I knew you'd kissed because of the look on your face, but I- oh, Bella! Why didn't you tell me to go get a Coke, or something?"

"Why would I do that?"

"So you could have some more time alone!"

"I'm not going to ask you to leave your own room. Besides, I don't think that would've been such a good idea," I admitted, unplugging my iPod.

"Why not? Didn't you like it?"

"Of _course_ I liked it," I said, embarrassed. "I liked it a little _too_ much. That was the problem. I basically attacked him after he kissed me."

"Sweetie, if he didn't stop you, it means he was enjoying it, too."

"It does? Are you sure it doesn't mean that he was too nice to tell me to get the hell off of him?"

She laughed at me. "He didn't look too upset when I came in, remember? He looked like the cat that ate the canary."

"So you say."

"What else happened? Nothing is going to top that, but still."

"Not much," I said, moving to my bed and hugging my knees to my chest.

"Did he ask you out again?"

"I gave him our phone number, and he asked if he could see me tomorrow." I admitted, my stomach turning somersaults at the thought that he might want to spend more time with me so soon.

"What did you say?"

"I said yes."

"Did you cancel your date with Jacob, then?" I froze, and horror washed over me.

"Jacob," I breathed, closing my eyes.

"Bella, you didn't forget," she accused.

"I _completely_ forgot."

"I could see where being kissed senseless by such a gorgeous man would do that to you. I'm surprised you didn't forget your own name!"

"What am I going to do?" I asked, frowning. "I don't have his phone number, so I can't cancel!"

"Wait until tomorrow, and when he gets here, I can tell him you have cramps, or something."

"But what if Edward wants to go out somewhere and we run into him?" I worried.

"I don't know."

"I have to go out with him." My voice sounded flat, even to me.

"What if Edward calls while you're gone? What should I say to him?"

"I don't know. Maybe I should call him before Jacob comes, and ask if I can just see him again at dinner."

"That's very pro-active of you, Bella. I like it. Do that."

"Okay." I nodded, more to myself than to her, and began getting ready for bed. I was so conflicted. On the one hand, I felt like I was betraying Edward by going out with Jacob, even though he wasn't my boyfriend – but on the other hand, I didn't want to cancel with Jacob because it would have made me feel bad. He'd looked so happy when I'd agreed to go out with him.

Thankfully when I crawled into bed, I didn't smell Edward's cologne. But just because I didn't smell him didn't change the fact that I felt like a traitor.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Angela and I started our first Saturday as roommates by having a quiet breakfast together. She was quiet because she didn't know what to say to comfort me, and I was quiet because I was freaking out. The moment I'd opened my eyes I'd known that I didn't want to go on this date with Jacob, no matter how guilty it made me feel. The only thing I could hope for was to have Edward suddenly ride in on his white horse and rescue me from having to make such a decision.

As it happened, he did no such thing. Jacob was supposed to come and get me around eleven, so around ten I decided that Edward should be awake, and I dialed his number.

"Hello?" He didn't sound groggy, but he didn't sound well rested, either. I knew the feeling. I'd tossed and turned all night.

"Edward? This is Bella."

"Bella," he said, his voice sort of breathy. "I thought I was supposed to call you."

"Oh. Well, I hope I didn't wake you up, or anything." I tried to ignore the butterflies that were invading my stomach.

"No, I was just reading."

"Look, I was wondering if maybe you'd want to have dinner again tonight?" I blurted. "My treat, since I'm asking you."

"I'd love to have dinner with you again, but only if you let me pay," he said smoothly. I frowned.

"You're not trying to be chauvinistic, are you?" He laughed, and I felt myself relax slightly.

"Remember what I said about my mother? She raised me to believe that if a man asks a woman out, he should pay for their outing."

"But I just asked you out."

"No, I asked you out first – last night, remember?"

"Fine," I said, sighing. "But next time it'll be on me, okay?"

"Absolutely." Did he realize he'd just agreed to see me a third time?

"I'm not going to forget that you agreed to it."

"I didn't think you would," he said, laughing again. I smiled stupidly into the phone. "So what time should I be there?"

"Is five too early?"

"Five is perfect."

We were both quiet for an awkward moment, and then I blurted, "I loved the CD. Thank you again."

"I'm very happy you enjoyed it," he said, his voice lower than it had been a moment ago. A delicious warmth pooled in my stomach as he continued. "And I am looking very forward to seeing you again, Bella."

"Me, too. To seeing you, I mean."

"I feel I have to give you fair warning, though," he said, his voice suddenly sounding strained. "My sister Alice has made me promise to bring you by to meet her."

"To your apartment?"

"Yes. I apologize profusely in advance." I laughed.

"She can't be that bad, Edward." I felt a thrill at saying his name so casually.

"No, she's worse." His voice was grim. I giggled. "You _think_ I'm joking. Just wait." He paused for a moment, and then added, "And if I were you, I'd let your roommate dress you again."

"Why?"

"Alice is obsessed with clothes. If she sees you in last season's _anything_, she will keep you here and insist on fixing it – and I don't particularly feel like sharing you tonight – at least, not any more than I absolutely have to." I bit down on my lip hard so I wouldn't squeal. My heart was in my throat, and I felt like my head was full of fuzz. "Bella? Are you still there?"

"Sorry," I said, my voice breaking. I winced at the sound of it. "I'm still here. I'll be sure and have Angela pick my outfit for me."

"Thanks," he said, sounding relieved. I couldn't help it, and I giggled again. "What are you laughing at?"

"I was just wondering if your sister is going to choose your outfit, too."

"Probably." He sounded defeated.

"At this rate, we'll never know what each other really looks like."

"Funny," he said sarcastically – but he laughed, too, which made my heart fly again. There was another moment of silence before he said, "I really can't wait to see you again."

"Me, too."

"Until five o'clock, then," he said, his voice low again. I nodded, forgetting that he couldn't see me.

"Okay," I managed. "See you at five."

"Goodbye, Bella."

"Goodbye, Edward." I waited until I heard the phone click on his end before I replaced the receiver on the cradle. I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes, trying to recall every word he'd spoken.

"You look awfully dreamy," Angela remarked as she entered the room. She gave me a strange smile. "Are you excited for your date now?"

"No, I just finished talking to Edward." Her face lit up.

"Oh?"

"He said he couldn't wait to see me again." She bounced in place and clapped her hands excitedly.

"That is _so_ sweet! Are you sure you don't want me to run interference with Jacob for you?"

"No," I sighed, shaking my head. "I'll just do it and get it over with."

"Like peeling off a band-aid," she agreed, nodding. I laughed. "Is that what you're wearing?" I frowned at her.

"I am perfectly presentable," I said defensively. I was wearing my standard t-shirt and comfortable jeans. She scowled. "I don't want to dress up for Jacob and give him the wrong idea. But if you want to, you can help me pick an outfit to wear for Edward."

"I was so hoping you'd say that," she said, looking relieved. Her scowl deepened. "Can't I at least get you to wear a different shirt?" she begged. It was my turn to scowl at her. "Look, I'll even let you be an outfit repeater. Take the jeans that you wore last night, and one of my t-shirts, and I'll leave you alone."

"Angela, I don't know-"

"It won't give him the wrong impression if you just wear jeans and a t-shirt," she insisted, shoving the jeans at me and burrowing through her dresser for a shirt. I stared down at the offending garment in my hand. It had been nearly impossible to breathe in those jeans – and I had noticed Edward's reaction to them. His eyes had been glued to them several times during our evening together. I _wanted_ that reaction from him – I didn't want it from Jacob. When I opened my mouth and voiced those concerns to Angela, she looked pained.

"I see your point," she sighed. "Fine, wear your jeans, but wear my t-shirt." I nodded. I could handle that as a compromise.

"But you're still going to pick an outfit for me to wear tonight?" I confirmed. She smiled.

"Most definitely."

"Ang, he's taking me to meet his sister tonight, so don't give me anything _too_ over the top."

"You're meeting his family already?" Her jaw hung loose a little bit. "It's only your second date. You guys are moving fast!"

"It's not like I'm meeting his parents," I denied, turning my back to her so I could slip off my old ratty t-shirt and pull hers over my head. I looked down at it and frowned. "What does 'Pink' mean?"

"It's from Victoria's Secret," she said offhandedly, her attention focused on the contents of her closet.

"What?" I gasped, looking at myself in the mirror with barely contained horror. The shirt was snug, though not necessarily tight – but it made me uncomfortable anyway. "What if he _knows_ that?"

"He won't," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "Can you imagine Jacob in Victoria's Secret? Please. I'll bet he's never even been inside the mall. Besides, you look beyond cute in it. You need one of your own. Maybe I'll get you one for Christmas," she mused, glancing at me.

"I don't _want_ to look cute, Angela!"

"You have to at least look presentable, Bella," she groaned. I pursed my lips together defiantly. "Please?"

"Fine, but I'm not going to forget-" I was interrupted by a knock on our door. We exchanged wary glances, and I motioned silently for her to get it. She opened the door, and Jacob was standing there, grinning like an idiot.

"Bella, you look great," he said, his eyes appraising me. I shot Angela an annoyed look, but she refused to look at me.

"Thanks," I said finally. "Jacob, don't take this the wrong way, but how did you know where our room was?"

"Mike lives in this dorm," he said, shrugging. "He told me." I should have known. I grabbed my little coin purse that held my money, my student ID, and my driver's license in it – it also had a small key chain attachment that had my room key on it. "Are you ready?"

"Sure." I forced a smile and followed him out into the hallway.

"You really do look nice today."

"Thanks. You too."

"How did your date go last night?" I turned and stared at him.

"That's really inappropriate, Jake," I said finally, frowning at him and hoping he got the message. He didn't. He smiled brilliantly.

"Must not have gone too well, if you're not willing to talk about it." _Don't count on it, buddy. You've got your work cut out for you if you think you're going to top Edward Cullen._

"Where are we going for lunch?" I asked, trying to change the subject. His smile widened.

"Wow, trying to to throw me off the subject, huh? Must've been _really_ bad."

"As a matter of fact, I had a great time," I snapped, looking away from him.

"Yeah, you really sound like it," he said, laughing. He led me into the parking lot, towards an old beat-up looking orange truck. "This is my ride." He unlocked the doors, and then got in without opening my door. I frowned. Edward had obviously spoiled me for other guys already – I had never in my life _expected_ someone to open my door for me like I had just then. I opened the door and slid into the cab. When he turned the key, the truck roared to life, effectively putting an end to any conversation we might've had. That was fine by me – I didn't particularly feel like talking to him, anyway.

I stared out the window in silence, remembering my date with Edward. We'd been silent a few times, but the silence had always felt sort of comfortable to me. This silence with Jacob felt awkward, and I was regretting not letting Angela tell him that I'd had cramps like she'd wanted to. After what felt like an excruciatingly long time, we pulled into the parking lot of a mall.

"I hope you don't mind the mall food court," he said, after he'd turned the engine off. There was still a roaring sound in my ears, and I hoped it would be gone before I saw Edward again. I smiled to myself. So far, Jacob wasn't even coming close to competing with Edward – the Volvo trumped the truck, though I had to give the truck points for character. The Italian restaurant beat the mall food court, too; I was sure of that without ever having stepped foot inside the mall. I couldn't help the soft laugh as I exited the truck, and Jacob gave me a puzzled smile as he approached me and took my hand. My smile grew larger; Jacob's hand-holding wasn't even in the same league as Edward's.

"You seem happier all of a sudden," he remarked, leading me towards the building. I shook my head.

"Yeah." Was all I could say without giving myself away. Happier was not the word for it. Now that I realized exactly how much more I had enjoyed my time with Edward, I did not feel guilty at all for never wanting to go out with Jacob again. I suppose I had wondered if I ought to give him a chance just to see if there was anything there, but there so obviously _wasn't_.

Obviously he didn't feel the same way I did, because he chose that moment to squeeze my hand and smile warmly at me. "I'm glad. I'm so happy that you said yes. We're going to have an awesome time." I fought the urge to shake my head, and forced a smile.

"As long as you have me back by three – Angela and I have plans." His face fell the tiniest bit, but he nodded. "Is that not enough time? Jacob, that's nearly four hours-"

"I was just hoping that I'd have you to myself for the day," he said, shrugging. I frowned at him.

"But when you asked me out, you only said-"

"I know. I won't make the same mistake again." He sounded way too confident, and I was about to open my mouth to tell him that there wouldn't be a next time when he led me to a counter to order food. Lunch passed without incident. He hadn't let me choose which fast food place I wanted, which irked me, but I let it pass because I liked all of the places the mall had. He'd paid, which I hadn't liked, because I didn't want to feel indebted to him in any way whatsoever. And he'd dominated the conversation, telling me everything that there was to know about him – which I didn't complain about at all, because I didn't really feel like talking.

It was only after he'd purchased our matinee tickets that I realized the grievous error I'd made in agreeing to see the movie with him. He'd chosen a horror movie – and I was stuck seeing it now. I'd be in a darkened theater with him, and I was sure he'd use that to his advantage. I was also certain that he'd chosen a horror movie to try and scare me into holding on to him. My apprehension grew when he paid for us to share a bag of popcorn. Economically it made sense, but I had a feeling that if I tried to eat any of that popcorn, he'd find a way to brush his hand against mine.

By the time we found our seats, I felt as though I was on a battlefield, trying to avoid landmines with every step.

He handed me the Cherry Coke he'd purchased for me. It hadn't escaped my notice that he'd chosen the very back row, when the rest of the theater was empty. The nervous sensation in my stomach was nothing like the pleasant one I'd had last night when I'd been alone with Edward.

"Jake," I said, glancing around. "Why don't we sit closer to the screen? I don't like sitting all the way in the back."

"Are you afraid, Bella?" he asked, teasing. His white teeth looked unusually threatening to me in the darkened theater. I scowled. "You can hold on to me, if you are." I sat down with a huff and bit down hard on my lower lip. He wasn't even _trying_ to meet me halfway – he definitely wanted to put the moves on me.

"I'm not afraid. I just don't like sitting in the back, because I can't see very well."

"Ssh," he said, his eyes focused on the screen. "The previews are starting." I took a long drink of my soda and decided that I was just going to pretend that he didn't exist for the length of the movie.

It became painfully obvious to me about ten minutes into the film that he wasn't going to allow me to do that. He was not at all hesitant about draping his arm over my shoulders, and I froze. Was he seriously that clueless? He hadn't picked up on _any_ of my body language that his advances were unwelcome? I didn't know how to extricate myself from his arm, so I opted not to move at all. Apparently he thought that I was giving him permission, because his hand kept sliding lower and lower on my shoulder. When his fingertips brushed the underside of my arm and just grazed the side of my ribcage, I turned to him, my mouth open to tell him off.

Before I could utter a sound, however, his mouth had covered mine, and he had shoved his tongue in my mouth. I whimpered, disgusted, and pushed with all my strength against his chest. When he finally pulled himself away, he was grinning like an idiot.

"Damn, Bella."

"Take me home _right now,_ Jake," I demanded, standing up. I turned and walked out of the theater, stomping the entire way. I was halfway out the front door when he caught up to me, grabbing my arm to spin me around. I jerked my arm out of his grip and glared at him.

"Bella, I-"

"Don't touch me," I hissed furiously. "You've touched me enough for one day!"

"I'm sorry. I thought when you didn't stop me from touching you that you were enjoying it as much as me," he said, his face falling. "I didn't mean-"

"Just take me home, okay?" I asked, closing my eyes and trying to rein in my temper. He looked so upset that, even as mad as I was, I didn't have the heart to be mean. When I opened my eyes, he nodded and led me out through the mall.

After he'd pulled into the dorm's parking lot and turned the truck off, he turned to me. "I'm really sorry, Bella. I can be a gentleman, really. I just got so excited – I mean, I really like you, you know? Let me make it up to you. I'm not usually such a jerk, seriously. Let me take you out again and prove that I can behave."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," I said softly, not meeting his eyes.

"Please?" he begged. I sighed.

"I'll think about it, okay?" His face brightened immediately.

"You won't be sorry, I promise."

"I didn't say I would, Jake, I just said-"

"I know what you said, but you will." His confidence was grating on my nerves. I got out of the truck and slammed the door, ignoring his shout of goodbye as I went inside the dorm.

When I got back to the room, predictably Angela was waiting for me. One look at my face, and her anticipatory smile vanished.

"God, Bella, what did he _do?_ You look really mad."

"I _am_ really mad," I snapped, tossing my coin pouch onto the dresser, and then flopping down face-first on my bed. "He tried to feel me up."

"What?"

"He took me to a horror movie, and we were the only ones in the theater. He put his arm around me and tried to grab me. When I turned around to tell him to stop, he shoved his tongue down my throat!"

"Oh, God," she breathed, and I could hear the disgust in her voice. "I'm so sorry, Bella."

"I should've let you tell him I had cramps," I muttered miserably.

"Look at the bright side of all this," she said. I turned and glared at her from behind the curtain of hair that was currently obscuring my face. How could there be a bright side to the horrible date I'd just been on? "At least going out with Edward tonight will make everything better, right?"

Damn it. She was right. Being with Edward would totally erase any thoughts of Jacob and the disastrous afternoon I'd had. I perked up immediately.

"What time is it?"

"It's barely one o'clock." I sat up. I needed a distraction to erase Jacob from my mind _now_ – I couldn't wait four hours.

"Did you find something for me to wear?"

"Geez, Bella. I've never seen you so excited for new clothes," she teased, getting up out of her desk chair and handing me a pile that had been folded on her bed. "You should go out with Edward every day. I like dressing you up." I rolled my eyes and smiled as I eyed the outfit. It was the same pair of jeans I'd worn the night before, a powder blue tank top, and a matching cardigan. "I figured the tank top is pretty tight, and you're not completely comfortable with revealing clothes yet, so I gave you the matching sweater."

"Thanks," I said, smiling at her again. It was thoughtful of her to give me the sweater.

"You know, I've been thinking. Charlie did give you some money to buy new clothes, didn't he?"

"Yeah, so?" I asked distractedly, beginning to undress.

"And you see Edward every day, right?"

"Yes." I tugged the jeans on, but didn't zip or button them. I wanted to breathe freely while I waited for five o'clock.

"Shouldn't you buy some new things to wear to classes, then? I mean, just so you have a few things that would… um… attract his attention?" I turned surprised eyes to her.

"But I was going to use that money for CDs," I protested. She frowned at me.

"Charlie wouldn't like it if you didn't use the money for its intended purpose."

"He wasn't going to know about it," I said, narrowing my eyes at her. She grinned evilly at me.

"He would now," she said, knowing she had me. I sighed, and she squealed. "We'll go shopping tomorrow, that way you'll have something to wear Monday when you see him."

"Fine," I said resignedly. "We just can't go overboard."

"We won't," she promised. I didn't believe her for a second, and she knew it. Her grin proved it. "Can I fix your hair, too?"

"What's wrong with my hair?" I demanded, glancing in the mirror. I had to admit, I liked the way the soft blue color of the tank top looked against my skin. I hadn't put the sweater on yet because our room was so warm. The tank top was definitely tight, but I sort of enjoyed the thought of wearing it for Edward. Would he react the same way to it as he had to Angela's jeans? I felt my cheeks warm when I realized that maybe the shopping trip wouldn't be such a bad thing – I wanted a pair of these jeans for myself.

"Are you kidding?" she asked, pulling me out of my reverie. "It'd look so much better if it were curled, or pinned up, or something."

"Am I doomed to be your Barbie doll every time I go out?" I teased. She grinned and grabbed my hairbrush from the top of my dresser.

"Of course." So I endured an hour of her playing with my hair, while I sat and daydreamed about seeing Edward again. I hadn't even realized that she'd been putting make-up on me, too, until she'd told me to close my eyes so she could apply eye shadow. By two-thirty she was finished, and I was staring at the stranger in the mirror.

I didn't recognize myself. My hair was pulled back in a loose bun, with curly tendrils framing my face. She'd applied some sort of light, glittery stuff around my eyes, and dabbed on a tiny bit of clear lip gloss, just to make my lips shiny. She'd kept it minimal, which I appreciated, but it had a huge effect on my face. My eyes looked brighter somehow, and my lips looked as though they were begging to be kissed. I hoped Edward would think the same thing.

"Angela," I breathed appreciatively. She smiled brightly.

"I know, right? You're beautiful! He won't be able to take his eyes off of you. And his sister will _definitely _approve."

"I think you're going to have to show me whatever you did with the makeup."

"Absolutely." I went to my desk and looked at the clock in my laptop's toolbar. Two forty five. I sighed. "What's wrong?"

"Time is dragging," I admitted. She laughed.

"Why don't you do something thoughtful for him?"

"Like what?"

"He made you a CD," she pointed out. "What's the harm in making one for him?"

I brightened immediately. "You're right. Thanks, Ang. You've been a lifesaver today."

"What would you do without me?" she teased, going back to her desk and opening her history book. I laughed and began looking over my CDs.

By the time five o'clock arrived, I had barely finished his CD. I popped it into the case he'd given me last night (the CD he'd given me was tucked safely away in the book I kept loose CDs in), and grabbed the cardigan, not waiting to put it on as I hurried out the door.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Angela called laughingly after me. I smiled and hurried down the stairs, taking two at a time and praying I wouldn't fall and break my neck. I paused at the front door of the dorm, looking around for his Volvo. I didn't have to look far. He was parked right next to the curb, leaning up against the passenger side, and glancing down at his watch. Relief that he hadn't stood me up washed over me, and excitement at seeing him bubbled up in my chest. I pushed the door open and kept my eyes on him as I approached, wanting to see his reaction to my appearance.

I wasn't disappointed. When he looked up and caught sight of me, his mouth opened in surprise. His eyes dropped to my feet and then traveled slowly upward. By the time his gaze met mine, I was blushing furiously, and I was standing in front of him. His eyes were dark, and I realized that it was the way he'd been looking at me last night just after Angela had opened the door. My stomach did a nervous somersault, and I bit my lip.

"Hi," I said finally, wondering why I sounded so breathless. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long." He cleared his throat.

"No. You look – there aren't words for how amazing you look." My heart stuttered as he reached for me.

"Thank you," I whispered, shivering when he brushed his lips lightly against my cheek. I tried not to feel too disappointed when he released me and opened the door for me. He looked extremely good in his dark jeans, and I took the chance to ogle him as he walked around the front of the car to get in. When he was in his seat and had fastened his seatbelt, I held the CD out.

"I made one for you." He looked surprised, but took it from me.

"You made me a CD?"

"I figured turnabout was fair play," I said, shrugging as I smiled. He grinned and tilted his head as he studied my face.

"I think that's the nicest thing a girl has ever done for me." I laughed.

"You can't have known very many nice girls, then," I said, repeating his line from the previous night. He laughed, too.

"No, I haven't," he agreed. He shook his head, still smiling that crooked smile, and removed the CD from the case. He inserted it in the CD player and waited until the music had started before he put the car in gear and began to pull out of the parking lot. "How was your day?"

"Long." He glanced sideways at me, and my heart leapt.

"I think I understand what you mean." He paused for a moment, and then, "I really am sorry about having to do this."

"Do what?"

"Alice," he said simply. He looked pained when he said it, and I laughed.

"So we're going to your apartment first?"

"I want you to understand that I'm not doing this of my own volition. She's blackmailing me."

"So you don't _want_ me to meet your sister?" I teased. "I'm that hideous?" He shot me a look of surprise, and then relaxed a bit when he saw my smile.

"You are exquisite," he said, his eyes focused on the road ahead. My stomach erupted in butterflies. "And I don't mind you meeting her, it's just that I wish I didn't have to do this to you so early in our relationship. She might scare you away." I felt as though the temperature in the car had gone up about twenty degrees. My mind zeroed in on that single word – relationship – and the butterflies in my stomach felt like they were trying violently to escape.

"Not a chance," I said, glad that my voice sounded more confident than I felt. Without looking at me, he reached over and wrapped his hand around mine. Jolts of electricity shot up my arm as he gently pulled my hand up to his lips. When he pressed a slightly open kiss to my knuckle, it felt like I had turned to a puddle of goo on his seat. He lowered our hands between us, but didn't release me.

"I hope you're not too nervous," he said, his voice low. "Alice is going to love you."

"I don't know," I said, finally finding my voice again. "After all that stuff you told me this morning, I'm feeling apprehensive." He grinned and brushed his thumb along my knuckles. I was not going to survive this night if he kept touching me like that; I could feel the urge to let my eyes roll back into my head.

"I won't let her usurp all of our time together," he promised, turning into what looked like a fairly affluent neighborhood.

"Somehow that doesn't comfort me," I said, laughing. "She managed to force you into bringing me over. It sounds like Alice is a girl who gets what she wants."

"You have no idea how right you are," he replied, his laugh joining with mine. He pulled into the driveway of a huge house, and I gaped.

"Alice lives here?" I squeaked. He cleared his throat and gave me a sheepish grin.

"Actually… I live here, too." I stared at him. "There are three of us – me, Alice, and our brother, Emmett. We're triplets. My parents pay for this house."

"But you told me that you live-"

"In an apartment," he finished. "And I do – I don't live in the main house, I live in the apartment above the garage."

"Main house," I repeated dumbly. He nodded, squeezing my hand gently. "Well, that explains it."

"Explains what?"

"The nice car and you in your own apartment. Your parents are rich."

He chuckled and released my hand to open his door. I was surprised at how keenly aware I was of the loss of his touch, but after he had opened my door and helped me out of the car, he laced his fingers through mine again.

"If it's not too rude to ask, what do your parents do?" I asked, my eyes roaming over the house.

"My father is a doctor."

"Oh."

"What do your parents do?" he asked. I turned my gaze back to him, and he was smirking at me. "Turnabout is fair play, remember?"

"My dad is the chief of police in our town," I said. "My stepfather plays minor league baseball, so my mom basically just travels around with him."

He led me around the house to a side door. "Do you live with your father, then?"

"Yes."

I busied myself with putting the cardigan on, and tried not to gape as he led me inside the house. Before we could leave what he'd just explained was the mudroom, I was assaulted by a pair of arms.

"Alice," he groaned, forced to let go of my hand because of her proximity. "You couldn't wait for us to come to you?"

I was abruptly released, and my attacker pulled away to look at me. "You're Bella," she said, her voice high. I'd never heard such a pretty voice. "Edward has told me so much about you."

She was shorter than me, which surprised me, given that she'd hugged me so fiercely. Her hair was short, black, and spiky, which somehow seemed to suit her fine features. She didn't look a whole lot like Edward, which surprised me. I realized I was staring, and I smiled at her.

"I hope it wasn't too bad," I said. "It's really nice to meet you." Her smile grew, and Edward made a face.

"It wasn't bad at all," she assured me, darting her eyes towards him for a moment. She laced her arm through mine. "Let me show you the rest of the house."

"Alice-" Edward said, an unspoken warning clear in his voice. She rolled her eyes.

"I'm just going to show her the house, Edward. I'm not going to kidnap her."

"You say that now," he muttered under his breath. Alice giggled and led me away from him. I turned and shot him a worried look over my shoulder, and he shrugged helplessly, mouthing 'I'm sorry.'

I tried to pay attention as Alice showed me through the house, pointing out various things of interest, but I was completely focused on Edward's presence behind me. Once he'd come up behind me as I was looking at a photograph, and he'd been so close I could feel his breath on my neck. I fought back a shiver and closed my eyes, wishing that he'd pressed his lips to my throat again. My cheeks had burned when I realized what I'd been thinking about.

Once the tour was over, I realized that something was missing. "I thought you said you had a brother," I said, turning to Edward.

"Oh, he's with his fraternity brothers today," Alice said dismissively. "He's hardly ever here, actually – unless he's throwing one of his parties."

"All right, Alice," Edward said, stepping forward and physically removing my arm from hers. He wrapped a protective arm around my waist, and I could feel the gooseflesh rising all over my body as his hand touched my side. "I think she's had enough for one day."

Alice's face fell. "Don't you like me, Bella?"

"I do," I said hurriedly. "You know, Edward told me that you like clothes," I blurted. I wanted her to know that I liked her, and she looked so upset that I didn't think before I spoke. I had a tendency to do that. "My roommate and I are going shopping tomorrow, if you'd like to come with us."

Edward groaned and smacked his forehead with the hand that wasn't gripping me. Alice's face lit up like someone had just told her she'd won the state lottery.

"Really? I'd love to! What time should I pick you up?"

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"Don't be silly," she insisted. "What time?"

"I don't know, I guess noon?" Angela and I hadn't really discussed it, so I hoped it was late enough for her.

"I can't wait!" She hugged me again, which was awkward, because Edward didn't release me. "We're going to be the best of friends, I just know it! I'll see you tomorrow!" She turned and bounded off, and Edward sighed dramatically.

"I don't think you realize the gravity of what you've just done."

"What do you mean?"

He began leading me towards the door we'd come in. "There's nothing in the world that Alice loves more than a good shopping trip. Try not to be too offended if she insists on choosing your purchases tomorrow – she has a tendency to do that." He led me outside, and we approached the garage. I noticed that there were an awful lot of stairs that led up to the second story, which apparently was where his apartment was. I hoped that I wouldn't trip and make a fool of myself – it seemed that everything was going so well.

When we were halfway up the stairs, I realized that I was about to go into his _apartment_. Alone - just the two of us. I gulped. When we reached the small landing in front of his door, he turned and gave me a shy smile. "This is my apartment." He unlocked the door and pushed it open, motioning me in before him.

I went in and looked around, amazed. It was basically a loft, complete with a small kitchen. He tossed his keys onto a small table by the door and watched me as I looked around. Of course as soon as I saw the shelves full of CDs, I gravitated towards them. I must have spent a long time looking at them, because he cleared his throat. I turned and was greeted with his crooked smile; he looked _extremely_ amused. My breath hitched in my throat because he was standing so close to me.

"What?" I asked finally.

"You could look at anything in the room, and you choose to go right to the music."

"What _should_ I be looking at, then?" I asked, smiling.

"I don't know," he admitted, looking around. "Don't girls normally like to snoop through a man's personal things?"

"It doesn't get much more personal than your music collection," I said honestly. "I think that what you listen to is a direct reflection of what type of person you are." His smile faded and he just stood there staring at me strangely. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No," he said quietly. The look in his eyes was making my knees feel weak.

"Then why aren't you saying anything?" I asked, feeling the corners of my mouth turn down. He reached out and touched a fingertip to one corner of my mouth, and the frown disappeared. My lips parted slightly and I tried to take a steadying breath. We stayed like that for a minute, with him barely touching me, and me barely breathing because of it. I forced myself to break the silence. "Edward?" He dropped his hand, and the breath whooshed out of me.

"You're right – it's probably the most personal thing in my whole apartment, apart from my books."

"Same with me."

"I figured as much," he said, smirking at me. I felt my eyebrows raise.

"I'd just like to take this opportunity to point out that I am not the only one of us who has some embarrassing pieces in their music collection," I said smugly. He laughed.

"Is that right?"

"Yes," I said, eyeing a particularly high shelf. I zeroed in on the CD I was talking about, and reached up to get it. I couldn't reach it, so I stood on my tiptoes. Suddenly I felt him behind me, and saw his hand reaching for the same CD, to try and get it down for me. I wasn't focused on the CD anymore, though; I could feel the heat of his chest pressed against my back. I sucked in a breath and watched as he pulled the CD down and held it up. I turned to face him, and our noses were almost touching, we were standing so close.

"Were you trying to get this one?" He asked, his voice husky. I nodded, not even bothering to look at it. He tossed it carelessly to his right, and it landed on his bed. Then his hands were on my face, and his lips were on mine.

Edward's POV

Alice had embarrassed me. I'd known she would, but knowing beforehand that it was going to happen didn't mean that I wasn't mortified. She may as well just have whipped out my naked baby pictures and shown them to Bella, she'd embarrassed me so thoroughly.

Bella had been more than fantastic with Alice, though my sister had clearly made her uncomfortable when she'd first hugged her. I don't think she'd realized what she was doing when she'd invited Alice shopping tomorrow, but maybe I could ease her into it by picking her up and driving her myself. That thought comforted me – I would get to see her tomorrow and have time alone with her, if she agreed to let me be her chauffer. I wouldn't mind it one bit – and with Alice going along, they might actually need my trunk to haul their purchases home.

I was nervous about showing her my apartment, but she'd shown me her personal space, so I thought it was only fitting. She'd looked nervous, too. I wondered what she expected – a messy bachelor pad, perhaps? The thought had made me smile. Of course, as soon as she'd entered, she'd gone straight to my music collection. I'd tried teasing her about it, and then she'd made that damned profound comment about it being the most personal thing in the room.

Did she realize when she'd said that what it had really meant to me? It meant that she'd already shown me the most personal thing she could; she'd already opened herself up to me. The thought had sent me reeling, and I hadn't been able to force any words out for a while. When we'd finally started talking again, she'd teased me, and then she'd reached for that CD. Her sweater had ridden up the tiniest bit in the back, revealing a small patch of perfect, creamy skin. I'd gotten the CD down for her, and when she'd turned around, her cheeks were flushed.

A man can only take so much temptation.

I had been apprehensive about being alone with her again, because it just seemed like I couldn't keep my hands off of her the first time. I knew it wouldn't be any different this time, and I wasn't proud that I'd barely held off for forty-five minutes.

In my defense, she looked entirely too tempting for her own good. As soon as I'd laid eyes on her, the messy bun alone had purported several librarian-themed fantasies. And the lipgloss she had on made me want to kiss her relentlessly – and that was not to say anything about how she was dressed. After she'd said Alice could go shopping with her, I'd decided to tell Alice to make sure that Bella got a pair of jeans like the ones she was wearing – I'd pay for them _myself_, if I had to.

I stopped trying to concentrate on other things, and focused on just kissing her. It was surprisingly easy to block everything else out when her mouth was moving against mine – it was so easy to do, in fact, that both of us neglected to hear when Alice burst into the room.

"Uh, hello," she gasped, her jaw dropping. I pulled away from Bella, both angry and grateful. Angry because she never knocked, I wasn't ready to stop kissing Bella, and she didn't know what we could have been doing in here. Grateful because I didn't know what we could have been doing if she hadn't interrupted – with the way I felt at the moment, Bella's virtue was in serious peril.

"Sorry," Bella said, biting her lower lip and looking down at the floor. I ignored the physical jolt that the gesture caused and turned my eyes back to glare at Alice.

"No, it's okay," Alice reassured her, flashing a wicked grin at me. "I just didn't think Edward had it in him, is all."

"Alice," I growled, trying to shut her up. Of course, it didn't work. It never does.

"I didn't realize you moved so fast," Alice continued, batting her eyes innocently at me. Bella watched the exchange between us with growing amusement. "I would've knocked."

"No you wouldn't," I snapped, though my anger was abating. What was I going to do with Bella for the rest of the evening if I couldn't keep my hands off of her? "What do you want, Alice?"

"I was just going to say that if you'd rather pick Bella and her roommate up, I can meet them at the mall. That way we could all have lunch together before we shop."

I stared at her.

"That's okay with me, if it's okay with you," Bella said hesitantly.

"I'd actually already thought about doing that," I admitted, glancing at her. She smiled. "I'll pick them up and meet you there at noon. Happy?" I asked Alice, turning back to her. She nodded.

"I'll leave you two to your plans," she said. Then she frowned. "Which are…?"

"Since when do I have to report to you?" I asked, bristling slightly. She gave me an odd look.

"Can I talk to you for a minute outside, _brother?_" Her tone made me bristle more, but I excused myself, telling Bella I'd be right back. When Alice and I were outside and the door was shut behind us, she frowned at me. "You don't usually get that mad at me when I ask what your plans are," she said.

I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. "I don't know what we're doing next. That's the problem."

"How about dinner? Isn't that what you planned on anyway?"

"Yes," I said grudgingly. She laughed.

"Why is eating such a distasteful idea to you?"

"I don't know how I'm going to control myself," I hissed, checking behind me to make sure that the door was completely closed. "I can't seem to keep my hands off of her."

"She doesn't seem like she minds," Alice pointed out.

"."

"Sorry," she said, sounding anything but. "Sounds like the two of you _need_ a nice romantic evening together alone. You know, to get it out of your system." She frowned and leaned closer, peering at my hands. "You look like you've been biting your fingernails. That's not at all attractive."

Fingernails. Oh! That reminded me. "I think we need to stop with the manicures, Alice."

"What?" She gasped, looking horrorstruck. _"Why?"_

"I don't think Bella – I mean, she keeps staring at my fingers and giving me these really strange looks. Maybe she thinks it's too girly, or something." Alice narrowed her eyes at me and pursed her lips together to contain her laughter.

"Edward, are you being purposely obtuse?"

"Excuse me?"

"Think about it. Bella keeps _staring_ at your _hands_ and giving you funny looks when she does."

"That's what I just said." She giggled, and then rolled her eyes.

"What's your favorite feature on a girl?" she asked.

"I don't see what that has to do with-"

"Just answer the question, okay? Are you a breast man, a butt man, or what?"

I stared at her. "I absolutely _refuse_ to answer that question." On Bella, it was too difficult to choose.

"Well, apparently Bella is a _hand_ person."

I stared at her again, comprehension dawning. I was too startled to move. Bella liked my _hands?_ I remembered the way her eyes would sort of glaze over and she would chew on that bottom lip every time she'd looked at my hands, and I felt like a complete idiot.

"Yeah," Alice said, laughing like she could hear the thoughts as I pieced them together. "Just… don't do anything tonight that I wouldn't do, okay?"

"That isn't saying much," I said, pushing away the brand new fantasies that were blossoming. "There isn't much you wouldn't do."

"I know." She descended the stairs, still laughing. I frowned.

"You know, there's a special place in purgatory for sisters who are overly suggestive!" I called after her. This caused a renewed fit of giggles that continued until she had disappeared into the main house.

When I re-entered my apartment, I was greeted by the sight of Bella crouched down to look at the bottom shelf of my CDs. Her undergarment was clearly visible this time – pale pink today. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment. _Holy hell, I am _not_ going to make it through this night unscathed._ I cleared my throat and she jumped up, turning to face me as she did.

"I hope I didn't cause any trouble," she said, an apology in her voice.

"Most definitely not," I assured her. "Alice seems to think sometimes that she's the parent, since our mother isn't here."

"I understand that," she said, smiling at me. "We've only been here a week and I think Angela sometimes feels like a mother hen to me – and we're not even related."

"I think I'm ready to listen to some more of the CD you made me," I said suddenly, feeling the need to get her outside. She was way too close to my bed, and I had far too many ideas on the best way to get her into it than I thought was healthy. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes." When I held my hand out for her to take, she bit her lip. I tried my damnedest not to smirk in light of my new revelation, but I don't think it worked. She reached out and took my hand, offering me a shy smile as she did.

I led her outside and down to my car, where I opened the door for her to slide in. I closed the door, took a deep breath, and then walked around and slid behind the wheel. After we'd driven for a few blocks, I turned to her. "What sounds good? I'm afraid I didn't give much thought as to where to take you."

"Anywhere is fine. I'm easy." She smiled. Dear God, my mind shot _straight_ into the gutter, where it was apparently destined to take up residence. I cleared my throat.

"How does Japanese sound? Do you like sushi?"

"I love it." She nodded enthusiastically, and I grinned.

"I can tell." Her cheeks turned pink.

"Sorry. My dad isn't a big fan of ethnic food. He likes his steak and potatoes, and that's what he sticks to. This is a huge treat for me."

"Then I'm glad I asked." We were silent for a few minutes, and I was just starting to ask her what she was thinking when she broke the silence first.

"Edward," she said hesitantly as I parked the car. "Did I say something to upset you?"

"What? When?" I asked, confused.

"When we were in your apartment, after I said something about Angela acting like a mother hen – you just…" She frowned and looked down at her lap. "Your expression changed so drastically. One second you looked fine, and then suddenly it was like you couldn't wait to get me out of there. Did I touch something I wasn't supposed to?"

"God, _no_," I said, shaking my head. I turned in my seat to face her. "It's nothing like that. Please don't think you did something wrong."

"Then what happened?" I opened and closed my mouth several times, debating on whether or not to tell her the truth. Did I lie and try to save face, or did I admit to having such sexual thoughts about her this early in?

"You didn't do anything wrong," I started, feeling nervous about even broaching the subject with her. "It was me."

"Oh," she said, her face falling. "I understand."

"You do?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah." She nodded and refused to meet my eyes. "And it's okay. You can go ahead and take me home. You don't have to-"

"What?" I wasn't used to hearing my voice so high. "Why in God's name would I take you home?"

"I've heard the 'it isn't you, it's me' speech before. I've actually said it once to get a guy to back off. I get it."

"Oh my God, Bella," I said, pinching the bridge of my nose in irritation and disbelief. "I wasn't trying to tell you that I didn't want to see you again, I was trying to tell you that I'm a jerk." Her head snapped up, and she stared at me. She thought I didn't like her? _Shit_. Brutal honesty it is, then.

"What?"

"Before I say anything else, let's get one thing damn good and straight," I said, looking her straight in the eye. "I _like_ you. A lot. Got it?" Her head moved up and down a little jerkily. "I wanted to leave earlier because you were standing next to my bed-"

"I don't understand why that-" I held up my finger, and she stopped talking.

"-and all I could think about was you _in_ it." I watched as her mouth opened and closed several times. "See? I am a complete jerk. Ever since I kissed you before dinner yesterday-" _and before that –_ "all I can think about when we're alone is-" My words were effectively cut off when she leaned forward and covered my mouth with hers.

I was embarrassed by the moan that came from me when she reached up and buried her fingers in my hair, but she didn't seem to mind it. I reached over and tugged on her arm. She got the idea and scooted as close as she possibly could with the armrest console in the way. It wasn't nearly close enough for me, but I was able to get my arms around her after a fashion.

Suddenly the car felt too warm, and I fumbled with the cardigan she was wearing, almost tearing it off of her shoulders. I heard her moan when my fingers slid down the bare skin of her shoulders, and the sound shot through me, causing an almost violent reaction in my body. I wasn't sure how long we stayed like that, kissing with so much force that I was sure we were both going to have bruised lips – and I wasn't about to complain. I'd wanted this too badly for the last several hours to say anything to stop it from happening.

When we finally did break apart, it was because she had pulled away to catch her breath. I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against the headrest, trying to steady my own breathing, but I kept my right hand on her arm. I ran my free hand shakily through my hair.

"I'm sorry," she said, her breathing as ragged as mine. "I didn't mean to attack you like that, I-" She stopped, and I turned to look at her. She shrugged apologetically. "No, I totally meant to attack you like that."

I laughed and caressed her arm with my thumb, which caused her eyes to slide shut momentarily. I couldn't help it; I smirked again. "You don't hear me complaining. Feel free to do it anytime, actually."

She giggled. "I just didn't want you to feel like a jerk," she said, shaking her head ruefully. "Not when I was thinking the same things."

"What?" I asked, sitting up a little straighter.

"You said you felt like a jerk because all you could think about was me in your bed," she explained, her cheeks darkening. "And I've been trying to keep myself from touching you every time we're alone. Well, even when we were with your sister, I felt like a pervert, because I kept trying to figure out how to get you to touch me. And I swear, I'm not usually like this with guys, honestly. You can ask Angela, or – you could even call my dad, if you wanted to – but you're so _different_, and I like you so much, I just- oh, god, _please_ stop me before I embarrass myself some more," she begged. I stared at her.

"You _wanted_ me to touch you?"

"Yes." She looked so ashamed. I couldn't help myself. I laughed. "What?"

"I'm sorry, I just find it _very_ amusing that we were both fighting off the same urges to touch each other all afternoon. I guess we're in good company, aren't we?" She smiled and bit her lip. My expression must have changed, because the smile disappeared.

"What did I do?"

"Since we're being honest," I began. "Just so you know, it drives me crazy when you do that."

"Do what?" she asked, looking confused.

"Bite your lip." She ducked her head.

"Really?" I could _hear_ the smile in her voice.

"Yes."

"It's habit," she said, looking up at me through her lashes. I was ready to drive her back to my apartment, the speed limit be damned. If she wasn't careful, I was going to lock her in my apartment, and keep her there.

"It's enticing." I corrected her. She smiled softly.

"No one's ever told me that before."

"That's because you've been surrounded by total idiots," I reminded her. She laughed. "As much as I'd like to stay here, I think it would be better if we went inside the restaurant."

"Why?"

"Not only am I hungry, I'm not entirely sure I can maintain my self control. In light of what we've just said, it feels like a Herculean effort." She blushed again, and I watched as she looked away and bit her lip. I groaned. "I _can_ still see you, you know." She laughed.

"Sorry. Getting out now," she said, shaking her head. It was probably the only time I was going to let her open her own door; I needed the few moments it provided in order to try and calm down. When I had taken a few quick breaths, I got out. She was waiting for me, but instead of reaching for her hand, this time I wrapped my arm around her waist. She smiled brilliantly up at me, and I grinned back.

Dinner tonight was even better than the night before. We sat across from each other again, but tonight I was grateful for it; it wouldn't do to grope her all through dinner, no matter how much I wanted to. We had so much in common it was scary. The only difference between us, it seemed, were the books we enjoyed. She tended to lean towards classic romance novels, while I enjoyed philosophical and theological works. She was an only child, and I had siblings, but we still both valued our privacy and had only a small, select group of friends.

Everything was flowing along quite smoothly, and I was proud of myself for being so controlled. We had finished eating, I'd paid, and we had made it to the car. That's when I heard her mutter something about Angela and headaches, and then I turned around and watched as she reached up and pulled her hairpins out. The dark curtain of her hair fell around her face, and she shook it out quickly. Desire flared up in me, and I had only one outlet for it.

In a flash, I had her pinned against the side of my car, my hands on either side of her head. I kissed her relentlessly, plunging my tongue into her mouth over and over. She responded in kind, and threaded her fingers through my hair. Emboldened by her reaction, I brought my body flush against hers. She gasped into the kiss when she felt my obvious arousal pressing into her. I thought it might scare her, but she surprised me again, and fisted her hands in my hair, tugging gently. I moaned into her mouth, pressing myself harder against her. My lips left her mouth, trailing down her jaw line, and pressing a kiss to the hollow beneath her ear. When I began my assault on the impossibly soft skin of her throat, she dug her nails into my skin. I hissed; it hurt, but it felt _good_, too. I forced myself to stop and pull back slightly. I rested my forehead against hers, and we both fought to steady our breathing.

"What are we going to do?" she asked, her breath hitching.

"I think we're going to have to have a chaperone every time we go out," I said, laughing shakily.

"We're going to spontaneously combust," she laughed. I kissed her again then, trying to be gentle as I caught her lips up in mine several times.

"It was out of my control this time," I said when I'd reluctantly removed my mouth from hers. "You took your hair down."

"But you've seen it down every time I've seen you," she protested, her hands now fisted in the front of my shirt. I shivered.

"I've never seen you take it down before. You obviously knew about my librarian fantasies," I joked. She giggled.

"If I'd known about those, I'd have worn cat's eye glasses, too." I eyed her for a minute. She gasped. "Really?"

"Yes, really," I sighed, feeling my cheeks warm under her amused scrutiny. "Like you didn't know. The cat's eye glasses are standard to any naughty librarian fantasy."

She laughed, and we were still standing so close together that the motion caused my body to react. She smiled her apology at me and released her grip on my shirt so she could move away.

"I've told you about one of my fantasies," I said, opening the passenger side door for her. She got in and sat down, and I leaned over her. "But you haven't told me any of yours."

"That's because I'm way too embarrassed." She laughed as I scowled, and I shut the door. When I was seated and had started the car, she bit her lip. My hand twitched in response. "Fine. But you have to promise not to laugh."

"Why would I laugh?" I asked, trying to sound insulted. She shook her head.

"I've always wanted to be kissed in the rain," she said, her voice almost too quiet to hear. I wanted to bang my head against the steering wheel.

"You mean I've had the chance to fulfill one of your fantasies already, and I didn't get to do it?" She laughed.

"I didn't think you were attracted to me like that. I mean, I thought you only asked me to dinner in the first place to make it up to me that you'd been a jerk." I looked over and saw her stifling a laugh.

"I didn't _want_ to be attracted to you," I said honestly. "I haven't had much luck with women."

"I find that hard to believe."

"I've been asked out enough," I clarified. "But I'm never the one who asks. Until now, I mean."

"I'm glad you asked me."

"You have no idea how happy I am that you're happy about it." I frowned as I pulled into the parking lot of her dorm. Apparently when I'm turned on and driving at the same time, I speed.

"You know," she said, unbuckling her seat belt slowly, "I wouldn't mind it if you acted on your urges sometimes."

I felt like a fish – I was just staring at her with my mouth wide open in surprise. Her brow furrowed, and I knew she was wondering if she'd said something wrong. I tried to snap myself out of it. "You might be biting off more than you can chew," I said finally. She smiled.

"I think I can manage. Goodnight, Edward." She leaned towards me and caught my lips with hers once before darting out of the car. "I'll see you tomorrow." And then she was gone, almost running up the steps that led to her dorm.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter SevenBella's POV

I was riding such an emotional high that I tried running to my room. It was a bad idea – I tripped on the stairs and banged my knee pretty hard. I was sure it was going to leave a bruise. I slowed down, almost limping the remainder of the way to my room. When I got there, Angela was on the phone.

I dropped my coin pouch atop the dresser and tossed her cardigan across the edge of her bed. She smiled at me, and then went back to picking at her bedspread. I changed out of her clothes and put my pajamas on before checking my email. Nothing caught my attention, so I closed the laptop and turned in my seat to glance at Angela.

"That's cool," she said. She looked up and gave me another distracted smile. I grabbed my iPod and placed the ear buds in my ears so I wouldn't be party to something she might not want me to hear, and I climbed into bed. My interrogation would have to wait until tomorrow.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

"Bella! Wake up!" I frowned and mumbled something, but the person shaking me would not be deterred. "Wake _up!_ We're going to miss breakfast if you don't get out of bed!" I sat up slowly, trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes as I did. Angela was smiling at me.

"Oh, _ugh_," I muttered. "Why did I agree to be your roommate again? You're too much of a morning person."

"Get dressed so we can go. And don't think I've forgotten about the shopping trip today."

"Oh, about that," I began, giving her a sheepish look. She frowned.

"What?"

"I sort of invited Edward's sister to come with us. I hope that's okay."

"She likes clothes, right?"

"Yes."

"Good. Maybe she can help me talk some sense into you about this stupid issue you have with buying them."

"And, um," I said, stretching a little bit. "Edward is coming to pick us up around noon, so we can all have lunch together."

"Well, we might as well skip breakfast, then," she said, sitting down on her bed. "It's eleven fifteen. They stop serving it in fifteen minutes anyway. And you look like you're going to need the whole forty five minutes to get ready."

"Why?" I asked, frowning. "I don't look that bad, do I?"

"Oh, sweetie," she sighed. "You never look _bad_, you just need some serious freshening up, is all." I untangled the comforter from around my legs and trudged over to the mirror. My hair was sticking out at several odd angles. "So, are you going to tell me about last night?"

"If you're going to tell me who you were on the phone with, yeah," I said, trying to be sly. She blushed and giggled. "Was it a guy?"

"Remember how I never got to tell you about _my_ Friday night?"

"I do now that you've said something," I admitted. She smiled again.

"I did meet some nice guys, but only one asked for my number."

"You gave a guy your number and didn't tell me?" I asked, shocked. "You've been so busy grilling me about Edward that you neglected to mention it?"

"Well, in my defense, I didn't really think he'd call. He had about a hundred other girls around him, and he barely said anything to me."

"Then why did you give him your number?"

"He was really cute," she gushed, getting off of the bed and poking through her closet. "And there was just something about him… I can't explain it, but I just had a feeling about him."

"Even though you didn't think he'd call," I repeated. She nodded and withdrew a short-sleeved button down pale pink top. She held it up to me, and I shook my head. "Sorry, I'm going to go with my usual today – my _own_ clothes. I have a feeling that I'll be trying on enough stuff, so I want to be comfortable while I can be." She sighed.

"Fine, I'll wear it, then." She shrugged.

"What's his name?" I asked, pulling on my comfortable jeans. This particular pair had a hole in one knee and they were very, very faded. Angela had tried to get me to throw them away during our junior year, but I had refused. She still glared at them whenever I wore them. I pulled a plain black t-shirt over my head.

"Ben."

"And that's it? He's just 'Ben,' like 'Prince'? No last name?" She giggled.

"I don't know his last name yet, but that's okay because he doesn't know mine, either."

"Did he ask you out yet?"

"Not everyone moves as quickly as you and _Eddie_ do," she said, laughing.

"His name is _Edward_," I grumbled. Eddie didn't sound dignified enough for him. She shook her head.

"Boy, you've got it bad."

"What?"

"You've got it bad," she repeated, reaching for my brush and motioning for me to turn around. "Even saying his name makes your eyes light up. What did you guys wind up doing last night, anyway?"

"He took me to see his house, I met his sister, and we went out for sushi."

"His _house?_"

"He's a triplet," I explained, still amused by that fact. He and Alice didn't look anything alike, and I was willing to bet that his brother didn't look like him, either. "His brother and sister live with him in a house that their parents rent for them. He decided he wanted privacy, so he took the small apartment above the garage. Apparently his brother likes to throw parties."

"Wow. So… any more _fun_ stuff happen?" she teased. I sighed.

"We had a pretty good talk in his car."

"Is talk a synonym for make-out session?"

"Um… no?" I asked weakly. She laughed, and I felt her tugging on my hair.

"You're finished." I looked in the mirror. She'd pulled my hair up in a ponytail.

"I could've done that myself, you know."

"I know. I just enjoy playing with your hair."

"Trust me, I know. I remember you forcing me to play beauty shop until we were fifteen."

"So you guys made out again. Big deal. I think it's all very romantic." I rolled my eyes at her, and she laughed. "Really. It all feels so Romeo and Juliet, don't you think?"

"God, I hope not," I said, shaking my head. "I don't want to _die_ at the end of all this."

"You know I didn't mean that part," she scolded. I watched as she pulled her own hair back into a ponytail. "I just meant the love at first sight part. You know, the _good_ part."

"Love is a pretty strong word, Ang. I think we both just really like each other."

"Give it time. It won't take much, though, the way you guys are going."

"What are you babbling about now?" I asked, laughing at her optimism. It was difficult to stay in a bad mood around her when she was so bubbly.

"You've seen each other every day this week," she pointed out, checking her reflection in the mirror. "You've kissed two of those days – probably would've kissed on the other days, too, if you'd had the chance."

"What are you saying, exactly?"

"Nothing, except that I think you guys are falling pretty hard, and fast. And I'm not saying that that's a bad thing, either, so don't take it that way - God knows I wish it'd happen to me."

"I've been so busy with him this weekend that I haven't gotten a bit of my reading done," I lamented, barely glancing at my messenger bag full of books.

"Well, you're not helping yourself by re-reading your Austen books, either," she retorted. I felt my cheeks warm. How had she known I'd been doing that? I'd only been reading it at the library, or in between classes – never when she was nearby. And here I thought I'd been sneaky! She just knew me too well.

"Yeah, I guess not."

"Are you ready to go? I don't want to keep Romeo waiting," she teased. I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't stop myself from smiling. We walked down the stairs in silence, and my stomach began doing somersaults as we approached the front door of the building. When we got to the door, she turned to me. "Is he out there? What kind of car does he drive?"

"A silver Volvo," I answered, looking through the glass.

"Okay, that must be him over there, then, right?" She pushed the door open and began walking towards the corner of the lot, where Edward's car was sitting. He must have been watching the dorm, because as soon as we started towards the car, he got out. I felt a sigh escape me when our eyes met, and I was glad that I was far enough away that he couldn't hear it.

Today he was wearing a simple gray t-shirt and jeans. It looked every bit as good on him as the sweaters and button-down shirts had. He looked _edible_ in anything he wore. I guess it was just a testament to how attractive he was, period. Me, on the other hand - I was just starting to second-guess my outfit when Angela spoke to him. "Hi, Edward. Thanks for giving us a ride."

"It's my pleasure," he reassured her, smiling as he opened the door for her. She turned and angled her body so he wouldn't see her give me the thumbs-up sign, and then she got into the car. I laughed. "Besides, I wouldn't dream of leaving you alone with the likes of Alice – at least, not in the mall, anyway."

When I reached him, I expected him to move out of the way and just let me into the car. Instead, he snaked his arms around my waist and pulled me gently to him. I rested my hands against his chest and closed my eyes as he lowered his mouth to mine for a firm but gentle kiss. It didn't last long, but it had given me gooseflesh anyway.

"I missed you," he said quietly. I smiled at him.

"I missed you, too." He pulled away and I got into the car. As soon as the door closed, Angela giggled.

"I am so jealous – he is so chivalrous! He opened the door for you! And that kiss – oh, Bella!" Before I had a chance to respond, Edward got into the car. After he'd fastened his seatbelt, he reached across the console between us and held my hand. I heard Angela sigh from the back seat, and I bit back a laugh.

"I hope you don't mind my tagging along for a bit," he said, glancing in the rearview mirror at Angela.

"Not at all." She sounded so damned amused.

"You're not going to stay?" I asked, disappointment washing over me.

"I don't particularly relish being around my sister when she's in a shopping frenzy – she tends to try and revamp my entire wardrobe." I forced a smile, but he must have been able to tell it wasn't sincere, because he stroked my thumb with his. "But I'll stay if you want me to. There's a book store in the mall, and I have a list of new ones that I've been meaning to buy." I felt so selfish. What man in his right mind would want to spend the afternoon shopping with three women?

"No, it's all right," I said, trying to reassure him. "I'm glad you're having lunch with us, though."

"I have to admit, I'm a bit nervous. I haven't ever had lunch with so many beautiful women before – every other man in the mall is going to be consumed with jealousy." Angela giggled, and I rolled my eyes.

"Suck-up," I muttered. He chuckled and squeezed my hand gently.

"By the way," he said, glancing sideways at me. "I loved the CD."

"You did?"

"Have you listened to the one I made you?"

"All but the last two or three songs," I admitted, my cheeks burning. There was no way I was telling him that I'd fallen asleep listening to it last night. He grinned and shook his head.

"You put one of the exact same songs I used on yours on the one you gave me."

"I did?"

"Yes."

"Which one?"

"Morrissey."

"Crap," I sighed. "I should've listened to it all the way through. I'm sorry."

"It's not a big deal," he said, looking highly amused. "I just think it's interesting that out of all the music between the two of us, the same song manages to make it onto the very first CDs we ever exchange."

"You guys should totally do that," Angela interjected.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Keep making CDs for each other. Trade a CD a week, or something. You could always do themes to make it more interesting."

"What do you mean?" Edward asked. He glanced back at her, his interest piqued.

"You know, like 'songs with a state name in them,' or 'songs about famous people,' or songs you listen to when you're mad – stuff like that." Edward looked impressed.

"It might be fun," I hedged. Mentally I was smacking Angela around – she _knew_ I'd already started a playlist on my laptop of songs that made me happy. I'd started it the day before our first day of classes. It had been sort of a celebratory playlist; a 'we're college students now' celebration. It had several happy, fun-type songs on it.

"I think it sounds like a good idea. I'm game if you are," he said, shooting me a smile that made my knees feel weak. Good thing I was sitting down.

"Sure."

"You two can figure out the details later," Angela said happily. "We're here!" Edward tried to suppress his grimace, but I saw it and squeezed his hand. He pulled into a parking space and turned the car off. He looked like he was about to lean over and kiss me, but then Angela started bouncing impatiently in her seat, and he sighed. He gave me a wry smile before getting out of the car and circling to open the door for both of us. Once we were both out of the car and he'd locked it, Angela started walking ahead of us. He turned and put his hands on my cheeks, drawing my face to his, and he caught my lips up in a tender kiss. He repeated the motion three times before pulling away and stroking my cheekbones with his thumbs.

"Apparently our chaperones are going to be quite easily distracted today," he murmured, dropping his hands and giving me a shy-looking smile. He reached down and laced his fingers though mine, and started tugging me towards the mall. "Not that I mind. If I had my way, however, we'd just ditch them altogether."

"I wish we could," I said earnestly, smiling. I was still a little breathless from the kisses; he seemed different from the night before. Last night he'd been hesitant about touching me at all, and today he'd already kissed me twice, once in front of my roommate. It made my stomach flip pleasantly to wonder if he'd be stealing kisses the whole time we were together.

"You look lovely," he said. We'd almost caught up to Angela, who was waiting by the front door.

"And you're a bad liar," I said, laughing. "I am worse than scruffy today."

"Nonsense," he scoffed. "You're beautiful, same as always." My heart leapt and I could feel my cheeks start to burn. He grinned and leaned over slightly to whisper in my ear, "And just so you know, the blushing is right up there with the lip biting." I turned to him in surprise.

"What?"

"As long as we're being honest," he said, shrugging. Damn it, he was _smiling!_ He'd known he was going to make my blushing worse when he'd said it, and he'd done it anyway. We'd reached Angela, so I couldn't say anything obvious. Edward released my hand long enough to open the door for both of us.

"That's something I really _can't_ help," I protested quietly as I walked past him. I heard him chuckle.

"Bella!" This time I was ready for Alice's embrace. I laughed when she pulled away slightly to smile at me, and then turned to Angela. "This must be your roommate."

"I'm Angela." She held her hand out, and Alice took it, shaking it vigorously.

"Well, any friend of my brother's girlfriend is a friend of mine," Alice said, positively beaming. Edward covered his face with his hands, and I just bit my lip. I didn't know what to call us, either. "So, where do we want to sit? I'm starving." I laughed as Alice threaded her arm through Angela's and went off to find a decent table.

"We are in _so_ much trouble," I said, laughing. "Together they're going to be a force to be reckoned with, aren't they?" I turned to Edward and caught him giving me a strange look. "What?"

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head. He pressed a hand to the small of my back as we walked to the table where our companions had chosen to sit. Angela gave me a knowing smile, and Alice arched an eyebrow at her brother.

"So, who's going where?" Angela asked. Edward pulled out a chair for me, and I sat down. I was aware of his every movement as he pulled a chair close to me and sat down.

"I feel like a giant cheeseburger," Alice said, examining her choices. "And fries with lots of ketchup."

"Ugh," Angela said, wrinkling her nose and shaking her head. "I've eaten cheeseburgers all week for lunch. I need variety."

"That place has really good soup, and it comes in this awesome bread bowl," Alice said, pointing.

"Oh, that does sound good." Angela turned to me. "What do you want?"

"I think I'm going to go with Chinese." Angela rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Why did I even bother asking?"

Edward glanced between us, a smile playing at his lips. "Why do you say that?"

"Bella only ever got Chinese food in the mall back home. Every time we went out to eat together, she insisted on Chinese food. It's her favorite."

"Japanese is my favorite," I corrected her. "Chinese runs a close second." Edward laughed.

"What are you getting, Edward?" Alice asked, not looking at him. Her eyes were focused on something across the room.

"Actually, Chinese sounds good to me, too." He stood up. "I'll go get it. Angela, if you tell me what you want, I'll get yours while I'm up. Alice -"

"No, no," Alice said, jumping up so quickly that she practically knocked her chair over. "I'll get mine," she said hurriedly. The three of us at the table watched in surprise as she walked away.

"What got into her?" Angela asked, turning to Edward. He frowned.

"I'm not sure, exactly," he said. I looked in the direction Alice had been looking before she'd gotten up, and I laughed quietly. Angela and Edward both turned to look at me.

"Blonde guy, one o'clock."

"My one or your one?" Angela asked, her head whipping around to look. Edward's frown deepened.

"My one."

"Jeez," Angela sighed. "Yeah, I can see what the fuss is about."

"She's going after a _guy_?" Edward asked finally, his eyes moving in the direction I'd told Angela to look. Suddenly he looked very amused.

"Go, Alice," Angela said, cheering her on as we watched her approach the blonde guy. "Boy, she sure knows how to go after what she wants, doesn't she?"

"Yes," Edward sighed. "And it's quite possible that she'll be there for a bit, so if you ladies want to tell me what you-"

"We can get it, Edward," I said, shaking my head. "You don't have to wait on us, or anything."

"I know I don't, but if you want to eat before Alice drags you through the mall, you'd best go ahead and get started."

"I'll have the broccoli and cheese soup in a bread bowl, and a Diet Coke," Angela said, giving Edward her money. He nodded and stuck the money in his pocket before turning to me. "General Tso's Chicken with steamed rice instead of fried rice, and a Cherry Coke," Angela told him, rolling her eyes. He chuckled, and when he looked to me for confirmation, I nodded once. I handed him my money, which he shoved in the same pocket with Angela's, and then he was gone.

"Okay, spill," she demanded, when Edward was out of earshot.

"Spill what?"

"What happened when I left you alone at the car?"

"He kissed me."

"Guh! I _knew_ it! Is he staying with us today? Because if he does, he will be sneaking you into dressing rooms to make out with you!"

"No, he won't." We both looked up in surprise at Alice, who placed her tray on the table before sitting down. "He'll just yank her into a hallway when no one's looking, or something. He's not creative enough to take her into a dressing room."

My cheeks felt like they were on fire. "I'm sitting right here, guys."

"We know," Angela said, rolling her eyes. Alice giggled. "Oh, God – we _totally_ have to take her into Victoria's Secret while he's here. I would love to see his reaction to that!"

"Angela!" I hissed, scandalized. "That is so not going to happen!"

"Why not? It'd be good for him to see you walking around all the lacy under things." I turned and looked to make sure that he wasn't coming, and saw him waiting in line for Angela's food.

"It'd only be good for him if he actually gets to see her in them," Alice told her. "We need to lock them in a closet together, or something. You know, let them _purge_ themselves of the deed." I was glad I wasn't eating – I would've choked on my food.

"You're his _sister!_ You're not supposed to be encouraging his date to have sex with him!" I said. My face was going to be permanently red if they kept this up. Angela nearly choked on the French fry she'd stolen from Alice, and it made me feel a little bit vindicated. "Why are you trying to get me to sleep with your brother? You don't even _know_ me. I could be some kind of psycho!"

"Are you some kind of psycho?" Alice asked calmly.

"Well, no, but you-"

"I may not know you very well, but I know my brother. I haven't _ever_ seen him like this over a woman before. I mean, sure, he's had crushes, and he's had girlfriends, but I have never seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you – especially when he thinks no one can see him looking, like right now." I blinked at her and turned, catching Edward's gaze. He gave me an apologetic look, and then turned back to the counter. I turned back to Alice.

"This scares me," I admitted softly.

"What does?" Angela asked curiously.

"How fast we're moving. It's not to say that I don't like it all – it's just kind of scary, to have these kinds of feelings after three days."

"A week," Angela corrected me. I rolled my eyes.

"Bella, do you like my brother?"

"Yes," I said without hesitation. "Very much."

"More than any other man you've ever had feelings for?"

"Yes. That's why it's scary. I'm not sure how to process all of this."

"It's just scary because it's so perfect," Angela breathed.

"Yeah, that too," I agreed.

"What are we talking about?" Edward asked, passing Angela her food as he sat down. "You ladies look so serious." I took the drink he handed me and took a long pull of it.

"We're talking about the lingerie that Bella's planning on buying when we go to Victoria's Secret," Alice said offhandedly. Edward's mouth fell open slightly, and I started to choke on my drink. Angela smothered a laugh. "What? Lingerie is serious stuff."

"She's joking," I gasped, grabbing a napkin and wiping the soda off of my chin.

"Edward knows me well enough to know that I never joke about any article of clothing, no matter how _small_ it is." I stared at her. She was evil incarnate, mercilessly teasing me like this. She had to be.

"Alice, I have a feeling that if you keep discussing this, she might just decide not to let you help her shop," Edward said calmly. I shot him a silent look of thanks, and even though he didn't answer, his lips curled up.

"You wouldn't do that to me, would you, Bella?" Alice looked immediately repentant. It didn't sway me – my face was still far too warm.

"Yes."

"Fine," she sighed, unwrapping her burger. Under the table, Edward squeezed my knee. Before he could pull away, I grabbed his hand and squeezed back. I don't think he stopped smiling for the rest of the time we were eating.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

"Alice, I have to go to the bathroom," I said, feeling panicked. We were only inside our second store, and she already had me in the dressing room, throwing things over the top of the door for me to try on.

"You're not getting out of this," she answered.

"You're going to be okay, Bella," Angela called. "Just don't forget to breathe."

"Would it make you feel better if we brought Edward in here?" Alice asked. I frowned.

"I don't want you to call him and bother him."

"I don't think it'd bother him much – he's been lurking out in the hallway for the last fifteen minutes."

"I thought he went home," I said, pulling on a pair of skintight jeans that Alice had bullied me into trying on.

"Right," she snorted. "Are you ready to show me your next outfit or not?" I looked at myself in the mirror. The jeans were like a second skin – exactly like the ones Angela had loaned me, though these had a much lower waist. The shirt was a red sequined tank top, and I felt completely stupid in it. Apparently Alice thought that red was a good color on me – half of the pile I had yet to try on was red.

"Fine, I'm coming out." I pushed the door open and stepped out, still looking down and trying to adjust the top so that it didn't look like I was falling out of it. When I looked up, I was staring into a pair of very shocked green eyes. He stared at me, his mouth hanging open.

"I think that means we'll take it," Alice said smugly. "Angela, where did you find that top? Let's go get one in every color." She and Angela disappeared without a backwards glance, and I could feel my cheeks heating up as he stared at me.

His eyes seemed to be growing darker the longer we stood there, and I watched as his eyes dropped to my feet and moving upward agonizingly slowly. I couldn't help but notice when his eyes lingered on the small bare patch of skin on my stomach, and the uncomfortable amount of cleavage that the shirt created.

"Alice forced me to," I said in explanation. Well, to be perfectly honest, I hadn't put _too_ much of a fight up over the jeans, because I'd been planning on getting a pair, anyway. It was the shirt I had protested vehemently to. Looked like I'd be keeping the shirt – I could wear it just for him, if it came to that. He took a hesitant step towards me, and then another, and then he was so close I could feel his breath on my lips.

"Remind me to thank her later." He looked down, and I did the same, and we both watched as he tentatively touched his fingertips to the exposed flesh of my hip. He lightly traced the outline of my hipbone, and I shivered. "You look incredible."

"Thank you," I whispered. His feather-light touch was making my head spin. I bit down gently on my bottom lip, and he raised his free hand to cup my cheek.

"Allow me," he said. I didn't have a chance to process his words before he caught my lower lip between his, sucking lightly. I grabbed the front of his shirt, feeling so light-headed by this time that I really thought I was going to pass out. When his teeth scraped gently over my lip, I sagged against his chest. He caught me, and I heard his chuckle as he helped to steady me.

I glanced around to make sure that no one was watching, and I took a deep breath. When I felt halfway normal again, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his face down to mine for another kiss. He groaned softly, and then I felt his hands on the small of my back, his fingertips caressing the exposed skin there. The thought of his long fingers touching _any_ part of me caused my whole body to feel like it was being engulfed in flames. I kissed him harder, reveling in the fact that he returned my kisses with just as much intensity. When our tongues touched, he reacted almost violently, pushing me back into the dressing room. I felt his hands leave me, and I vaguely heard him close the door before his hands were on me again, this time on my hips.

He pressed me up against the wall as he kissed me. I plunged my hands into his hair, savoring the feel of the soft strands sifting through my fingers as I moved them. He gasped and pressed himself against me, and the movement caused me to whimper. He pulled his mouth away from mine and moved it straight to my neck, touching his tongue to the sensitive spot just below my ear. I arched against him, trying to get closer, and his breathing hitched.

I thought I might have gone too far, until I felt his teeth scrape gently all the way down to my collarbone, which he sucked on. At the same time I bucked against him again, I felt his hands move around to cup me through the jeans. I gasped and fisted my hands in his hair. When he squeezed gently, I couldn't help it, and I moaned. Someone giggled just beyond the door, and the sound caused us both to freeze.

_Damn it._ I'd forgotten Angela's earlier comment about him pulling me into a dressing room to make out. I'd told both her and Alice that it wouldn't happen, and here we were, doing exactly that. He raised his eyes to mine, and gave me a crooked smile.

"I'm sorry," he said. His voice was low enough that I didn't think our eavesdroppers would hear.

"Don't be," I replied, loosening my grip on his hair. I licked my lips, and his eyes were immediately focused on them. I couldn't help but be aware of his hands still holding on to my rear. "I'm not."

"How much longer do you think I'd be able to keep you in here before they bust the door down?" I felt his fingers squeeze me gently, and I gasped.

"Not much longer," I said. "So we'd better make the most of it, right?" He groaned softly and rested his forehead against mine.

"You really are trying to kill me, aren't you?"

"We can't keep doing this," I pointed out, caressing the back of his neck with my fingers. "We're going to spontaneously combust if we do."

"You've said that before," he said, sounding amused. He gave me a quick kiss before pulling away, and even though he'd removed his hands, my body was still tingling everywhere he'd touched. I smoothed out the front of his shirt, and then looked down to make sure my clothes weren't too rumpled, either.

"Maybe that should be our first CD theme," I said, pressing my palms to my face. "Music to spontaneously combust to." He stared at me, his grin blossoming slowly.

"You mean music that you'd listen to while kissing?"

"Or while doing… other things," I suggested, trying to sound nonchalant. He raised his eyebrows at me.

"It definitely sounds like a challenge," he said, running his fingers through the hair that I'd ruffled. I bit back the smirk I felt coming on. _I'd_ messed up that lovely bronze hair. _Me._ Oh, the sight of it made me feel cocky and proud. "How long do we have to come up with it?"

"Two weeks?" I offered, watching as he pushed the dressing room door open. Alice and Angela were standing there, whispering. When they saw us emerging, their faces fell.

"You don't look rumpled at all," Alice accused, glaring at Edward. He gave her a look that was much too innocent.

"And why would we look rumpled?" he asked politely. She scowled. I took the clothes from Angela's hands and went back into the dressing room, hiding my smile as I went.

_**Edward's POV**_

I leaned forward and quietly told Alice, "That outfit is on me," as I shoved money into her hand. Before she had a chance to gloat, I turned and went out into the hallway. As much as I would have liked to stay and see Bella in every new garment she tried on, there was no way I was going to manage that without some serious molesting of her person. Not that I minded that, I thought, smirking to myself.

I turned the corner and walked down the hallway towards the cookie stand, intent on getting a drink. I needed something to help me cool down – odds were that Bella needed something, too. I stood in line for a few minutes, and all I could think about were those damned painted-on jeans she'd been wearing. To say that I felt like a massive pervert would be an understatement. I'd thought about sex plenty before I'd met Bella. I'd even participated in the act once or twice, though it had only been casual.

I knew that I wanted to be with Bella in that capacity. I would've been lying to myself if I tried to deny it – but I also knew I wanted it to _mean_ something if it ever happened. She was special, and I wanted her to know it. Bella wasn't the kind of girl you just brought to your bed for a casual tumble in the sheets. Plus it was still only the first week of us being together, and it was probably too early for her to feel comfortable enough with me to share my bed… even though I was more than enjoying our kissing sessions.

That train of thinking led me to consider the CD exchange we were planning, and I could feel my face warm as I ordered the sodas. Music to spontaneously combust to, she'd said. Well, I had plenty of that. The question was, was I brave enough – or bold enough – to give her a whole CD of music that got me excited in that way? I paid for the drinks and thanked the woman before walking back towards the store the girls had been in. If Bella was brave enough to give me an arsenal to use against her sometime, I would do the same.

Of course, after I'd had that thought, I was plagued with images of her writhing on my bed in various states of undress. Crap. I should've gone home when I'd told her I was going to; being here and knowing that she was getting undressed over and over was a bad idea. I walked into the store and looked around. They were nowhere to be seen. I frowned and approached the salesgirl, who shot me a brilliant smile.

"Excuse me, I was in here a little while ago with-"

"Yeah, she told me to tell you they're just going down the hall," she interrupted. "She said two stores down."

"Thank you." I left the store and went down the hallway, freezing when I realized what my options were. On my left was a Radio Shack, and on my right was Victoria's Secret. Of course I knew exactly where they must be – and I was going to strangle Alice. I hadn't thought she'd actually take Bella in there, even though she'd mentioned it at lunch. Apparently I'd grossly underestimated my sister and her scheming.

Now I had a dilemma. Did I stay out in the hallway and wait for them to emerge (which might take forever, knowing Alice), or did I venture in with the excuse of giving Bella the soda I'd purchased for her? I frowned. If I didn't give her the soda, the ice would melt and water the whole thing down. Besides, this was a giant game of chicken to Alice, I was sure. She was testing my limits – the same thing I was doing every time Bella and I were alone. Maybe it would be safest to look in the window and see if they were in the front of the store, where I could easily run the drink in and run back out.

I went up to the window and peered in. Immediately I felt like someone had turned the thermostat up about fifty degrees – a very red-faced Bella was holding something lacy and green in her hands. I realized after I saw Alice hold up a lacy bra in the same color and gestured to what was in Bella's hands what it must be. That made my mind up for me – there was no way I was going to brave going into that store. I went to the middle of the hallway and sat in one of the plush chairs I found, and gulped down both my soda and the one I'd brought for Bella.

I sat there for what felt like a terribly long time before the girls emerged from the store. All three of them had very large pink and white striped bags, which worried me. Hopefully they didn't _all_ belong to Bella, or else I'd never make the ride home with her. When she saw me, she looked relieved and embarrassed at the same time. She quickened her steps and got to me before the other two did.

"Help me!" she whispered, looking panicked. I couldn't help myself; I laughed.

"Edward!" Alice pealed, delighted. I narrowed my eyes at her. She was trying to look innocent, which was a very bad sign for me. "Bella got the cutest new-"

"Alice!" Bella hissed, her face turning blood red. "Shut _up!_"

"You're not going to let me have _any_ fun today, are you, Bella?" Alice pouted. "It's very rare for me to have something to tease my brother with – you'd think you'd let me have a little bit of fun with him."

"Not at my expense," she said, shaking her head. "Sorry."

"Well," Alice said, shrugging. "You won't be around us _all_ day. I'll get to him sooner or later." I didn't like the sound of that. When Bella turned to look to Angela for help, Alice waved her cell phone at me and mouthed the word _pictures._ I jumped out of the chair as though it had burned me, and Alice giggled. Bella turned to look at me with concern.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. You look thirsty – do you want me to go and get you a Coke?" I blurted, anxious to get away from my sister, who was apparently trying to kill me.

"I can come with you," she offered, glancing hurriedly between her shopping partners. I nodded and grabbed her arm, and started walking before the girls could protest.

"I'll bring her back in just a minute. I'll bring you sodas too," I said over my shoulder. When we were out of earshot, she sighed with relief.

"Thank you," she said earnestly. "You have no idea what they're trying to do to me." Oh, I had ideas, all right – that was the problem. I had too many ideas.

"I can imagine," I said, trying to sound sympathetic, instead of like the horny asshole I apparently was.

"I never dreamed in a million years that Angela would be this bad, either," she continued. "I mean, I've been shopping with her before, but now she has someone to help her bully me into buying whatever she wants me to wear."

"Why did you even agree to come if you don't like to shop?" I wondered aloud, steering her towards the food court. I was confused when her face turned red again. How had that been embarrassing?

"I did actually sort of want to come – but only for a few _little_ things – not the massive wardrobe overhaul that's commencing. They're probably still picking things out for me even though I'm not there!" she cried, shaking her head.

"Tell them you've spent all of your money," I suggested, stepping up to the counter to order.

"I _can't_," she said. "I haven't paid for a single thing today."

"What?" I asked, surprised. I handed her the cup the cashier had just handed me, and we started back in the direction we'd come, very slowly.

"Alice has paid for _everything,_" she explained, taking a sip of the soda. I stared at her.

"Everything?" I echoed. I'd only given her enough money for one outfit, I was sure of it.

"Everything" she confirmed. "Even this," she said, holding up the Victoria's Secret bag she'd been carrying. Her cheeks were flushed. "I told her that if I wanted something, I could buy it myself, but she said she knew I'd never buy this stuff, so she did it for me. I think that after today, I'm just going to take it back and have them return the money to her credit card!"

"Don't do that," I said quickly. She gave me a startled look.

"Why not? I can't keep all of this stuff. Do you know how much it cost? And this isn't even all of it."

I swallowed convulsively. "It isn't?" She shook her head mutely, and I coughed. "You know, if you return it, not only will she be mad at you, she'll also find a way to get you back. And it will probably be very public and highly embarrassing. It's best just to take it and say thank you."

"I need to pay her back if I'm going to keep it," she said darkly, sounding just a little bit miserable. "And then I'm just going to shove the bags into the back of my closet." Crap. How did I approach this delicately? Was there even a way to do that?

"Uh," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "You don't ever plan on wearing _any_ of it?" She turned to me, her mouth opened to say something, and then she abruptly shut it. She eyed me silently for a moment, and then looked away as the color on her cheeks went from pink to red.

"Are you trying to ask me something else, Edward?" she asked softly.

"No," I said too quickly. She laughed.

"Since we're being honest, and all." _Oh, hell._

"I think," I said slowly, "that it would be very disappointing to _Alice_ if you never wore anything she'd purchased for you."

"And how would _Alice_ know, unless she plans on seeing me in this stuff?" she asked, giving me a shrewd look. I sighed.

"She's going to ask me if I've seen you wear any of this, you know," I said bluntly.

"Are you the type to kiss and tell?" Her voice was so soft that I could barely hear it.

"Are you trying to ask me something else, Bella?" I asked, grinning at her. She laughed and rolled her eyes. "You know, since we're being honest, and all."

"Brutal honesty," she said, stopping in the middle of the hallway to look me dead in the eyes. I took a deep breath as I nodded.

"Fine."

"Are you asking me if you'll ever see me in this stuff?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Are you asking me if I would tell people about it if we were ever intimate?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Just so we understand each other."

"Are we going to answer each other?" She wondered, her eyes roaming over my face. I'm sure I was as red as she was. I wasn't used to discussing this sort of thing straight out with a woman like this. As unnerving as it was, it was also a major turn-on.

"I don't know. Are we?" She started to open her mouth, but she was interrupted by my sister.

"Bella! There you are! We were starting to wonder if my brother had dragged you off like a Neanderthal." Angela giggled, and Alice smiled at her. "Are you ready for the next store? There's a huge sale going on in-"

"I was thinking about going to the music store," I interrupted, pointing down the hallway. "I thought maybe she'd want to come with me instead."

"But we've only been to two stores, and she hardly has anything." Bella stared at Alice, her mouth hanging open.

"Alice, this is the most new clothing I've had in probably three years," she replied finally.

"But it's all underwear," Alice insisted, frowning.

"Look," I interjected, trying to ignore what she'd just said. "Bella isn't a professional shopper yet. She's a beginner, so she needs frequent breaks. I'm sure that after a few minutes in the music store, she'll be back and ready to shop again – right, Bella?" I hadn't even finished speaking before she was nodding vigorously.

"I promise."

Alice looked skeptical, but Angela smiled, glancing between us. "I think we'll be fine for a few minutes alone, don't you, Alice?"

"But-"

"Hey," Angela interrupted, pointing towards a men's clothing store. "Isn't that the guy you were talking to at lunch?" Alice's head whipped around, and she grabbed Angela's arm. They started walking away, and Bella gave me a highly amused smile.

"All right, you have thirty minutes, and then I want her back!" Alice called over her shoulder.

"Well, that was easier than I thought," I told her, pressing my hand to the small of her back as we walked. "Do you want me to carry that bag for you?"

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I'm okay."

"Is it really that embarrassing?" I teased, raising my eyebrows at her. She laughed.

"You have _no_ idea. Thank you for getting me out of it for a while. I really _could_ use a break, and if Alice isn't going to let me use my money to pay for clothes, it might as well go to a good cause."

It was my turn to laugh. "Music is as good a cause as any, I suppose. Do you have anything specific in mind?"

"Actually…" She stopped to throw away her soda cup, and then reached into her back pocket, extracting a folded piece of paper. She waved it at me. "I keep a list of CDs I'd like to have."

"Really? Can I see it?"

"Um," she began, biting her lip. I leaned over and pressed my lips gently to hers, then pulled away to look at her. "What was that for?" she asked breathlessly.

"You bit your lip again. I told you how I felt about that."

"Are you going to kiss me every time I do it?"

"Maybe." She blushed and looked down as she smiled. "Careful," I warned her. "Remember what I said about the blushing, too."

"If you were going to kiss me every time I blushed or bit my lip, we'd be permanently joined at the mouth," she joked.

"I don't think I'd complain too much." She laughed and rolled her eyes. "So are you going to let me see your list, or not?"

"You can't make fun of me," she said, hesitating. I shook my head and made an x motion across my chest.

"Cross my heart, I won't." She handed me the paper, and we started walking again. I unfolded it and was instantly surprised – the list was longer than I'd thought it would be. I handed it back to her, trying to hide my smile. I already owned half of the albums she'd written down. Maybe when I got home tonight, I could burn some for her.

"I'm going to go look at the soundtracks," she told me, edging towards that side of the store. I nodded.

"I'll be over there in a minute – there's something I need." I watched as she walked away from me, and then I hurried to pick up a package of blank CDs and a large black book that would hold them. After I'd made my purchase, I approached her. She only had one CD in her hand, and she was frowning at it. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head and smiling at me. She noticed my bag and gestured toward it. "You must've known exactly what you were looking for, too."

"Yes," I said, smiling broadly at her. "I did."

"How much longer do we have before Alice hunts me down?" she asked. I glanced at my watch.

"About fifteen minutes."

"Okay," she sighed, nodding. "Then I'd better work fast." I watched as she searched out four CDs from her list and took them to the register to pay for them. The whole process took maybe five minutes. She dropped the CD bag into the larger Victoria's Secret bag, and I took her hand, lacing my fingers through hers. As we exited the store, I got the distinct impression that she would have been happy to spend the entire duration of her shopping trip in that one store.

"How long do you think Alice will keep me detained?" she asked.

"In the mall, you mean?" She nodded. "Honestly, there's no telling, knowing Alice. It's quite possible that after she's cleaned out all the stores here, she'll want to take you somewhere else to finish shopping." Bella grimaced.

"Oh. Does she do this a lot? Spend whole days shopping, I mean."

"She used to do it every week, but our dad limited her to once every two weeks. As much as it's killed her, she's been saving up her shopping trips so she can spend more at a time."

"So basically your father is footing the bill for my new stuff?" she asked, frowning. I squeezed her hand.

"Don't think too much about it," I said. "Alice is allotted a certain amount of money each month to spend, and if she chooses to spend it on you, then that's her prerogative. Besides, she already has so many clothes, and she can only wear so much – I'm sure my father would be delighted to know that she's spending the money on someone other than herself for once." She was still frowning, but she nodded.

"You know," I began, glancing around. We were almost back to the spot where we'd left the girls, and I wasn't quite ready to give Bella up yet. "I think that I'm going to take off for a bit while you finish up. I'm going to come back and drive you home, but I was wondering – would you like to have dinner with me after-"

"Yes," she said quickly. "I'd love to." I laughed.

"You're so anxious to get away from them," I teased. "Don't you like my sister?"

"Actually, I love her," she admitted. "I mean, we haven't spoken a whole lot, but she is pretty amazing – when she's not using me as a dress-up doll, I mean." She gave me a tentative smile, and I grinned in response.

"Where do you want to go for dinner?"

"I don't mind. I told you, I'm easy." She'd meant nothing by it, but of course just like the first time she'd said it, my mind was instantly flooded with sexual images. I shook my head quickly to try and clear it of the vivid images that had formed. It didn't exactly work, and I blamed those images for the words that just popped out of my mouth.

"Why don't we get some take-out and go back to my apartment with it? We could watch a movie, or something." When she nodded enthusiastically, I groaned silently. What had I just done? Of course I'd wanted to be alone with her all day, but now I was going to be alone with her _in my apartment_ after she'd gotten new lingerie (not that she would necessarily be wearing it) – and we were going to be _in the dark_, watching a movie. And that would probably happen on my all-too-comfortable sofa, which wouldn't help things.

"That sounds nice," she said. "I could really use some down time after this. Thank you so much, Edward." _Save your thanks; the night isn't over yet._ I bit back another groan. I needed to touch her so badly that my fingers were twitching. I glanced around to make sure no one was watching, and then I led her down the hallway where the restrooms were. When I didn't see anyone approaching, I pushed her gently back against the wall, dropping my bag on the floor and pinning her there with my arms.

"You told me you wouldn't mind if I acted on my urges sometimes, right?" I asked. She nodded, her lips parting. I could see the erratic rising and falling of her chest. "I don't have much time before they come looking for you, but I couldn't resist." I heard the noise that indicated she'd dropped her shopping bag on the ground, and I shivered when I felt her warm hands curl around my neck.

I watched as her eyes closed, and then I touched my lips to hers. She sighed, and I caught her lower lip between mine, sucking lightly on it. She returned the favor by touching her tongue to my mouth. I opened my mouth to her and forced myself to remain gentle as she stroked my tongue with hers. It was a different kind of kissing than we'd done earlier; it was every bit as intense, but it was sweet at the same time. We weren't groping each other, and I was keeping my hands off of her on purpose. If I touched her, it would all be over for me.

I was thoroughly enjoying kissing her when I heard someone cough. Annoyed, I pulled away from her just enough to turn and see Alice and Angela standing at the end of the hallway, waiting for her. I sighed and turned back to her to give her a rueful smile, which she returned. I wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her to me, closing my eyes and breathing deeply to calm myself a bit. I pressed several quick, open-mouthed kisses to the side of her neck, and heard her breath hitch. Smirking to myself, I released her.

"I'll tell Alice to call me when you're done," I said, looking forward to dinner more than I probably should. "I'll come and get you, and she can take Angela home." She nodded.

"Okay." She pressed a hand to her face, took a deep breath, and straightened her shoulders. I smiled and picked her bag up off the floor, holding it out to her.

"Do you want me to take it for you?"

"No," she said, taking it from my outstretched hand. "But thank you. And thank you for the few minutes of peace."

"Anytime," I said, chuckling. I followed her as she walked over to the girls, and I turned to Alice.

"I'm going to be taking Bella to dinner tonight, so if you would, please call me when you're finished."

"I guess it'll just be me and Angela, then," Alice complained. Bella looked surprised.

"You two are going to have dinner together?"

"I was going to invite you, too, of course," Alice said, shrugging. "But since you and Edward have plans, it'll just be us." I looked over at Bella uncertainly. I wanted her to myself, but if she'd rather have girl time…

"You can go with them, if you'd rather," I offered.

"No, I want to have dinner with you," she said quickly, turning to me. "Unless you don't want-"

"Alice, call me when you're done with her," I said, cutting her off. I was surprised that she didn't already see how greedy I was for time with her – it was making me feel like the world's biggest heel, but that didn't change my wanting it. Angela sighed and she gave Bella what I supposed was meant to be a secret smile. Alice rolled her eyes.

"All right, Edward. I get the point. You want her back _asap_." I nodded, and then pressed a quick kiss to Bella's cheek.

"I'll see you later."

"Okay. Bye, Edward."

I waved at her as I began backing away. "Goodbye, Bella."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: **_Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and/or added my story to your updates – you can't know how much I appreciate it. This story is also posted over at Twilighted. As I told those folks over there, I have totally made playlists for E/B, and AFTER they've exchanged them with one another, I will be more than happy to either post the list or try to upload .zip files of them. If you are interested, please let me know AFTER they've been exchanged in the chapter. I hope you enjoy this new chapter – it was uber fun to write.

**Chapter Eight**

_**Bella's POV**_

It had been three hours and forty-five minutes since Edward had left me alone with his sister and my best friend. It was nearing six o'clock, and since we hadn't stopped for any kind of snacks since lunch, my stomach was growling loudly in protest. Edward had been right; as soon as Alice had deemed the mall "cleaned out," she had ushered us out to her car, which we had both gaped at. Apparently Dr. Cullen doted on his children and gave them whatever they wanted, because Alice told us he'd purchased her yellow Porsche for her a year ago.

We'd gone to three other stores, and by the time they were finished, the purchases barely fit in the trunk of the car. Thankfully it wasn't _all_ for me – they had each gotten some things for themselves as well. Alice had asked us to go dancing with her on Thursday night, explaining that there was a local bar that had dancing downstairs for the under 21 crowd (the bar part was upstairs). Angela had been wildly excited, while my agreement had been less enthusiastic – I don't do dancing as a rule. My two left feet always manage to get in the way.

Alice drove us back to her house without calling Edward, which relieved and worried me at the same time. It was a relief because I realized that the torture was finally over, but it worried me because she insisted on helping me 'freshen up' for dinner with her brother. I hadn't told her that we were just planning on staying here, afraid of the teasing that would surely be inflicted on me if I did. We struggled with the bags, each carrying more than our arms could really hold, and carried them up into Alice's room. She sifted through them quickly, divvying them up according to who was keeping them.

"Where are we eating?" Angela asked, humming as she went through her bags. I'd never seen her so happy; Alice was definitely going to be high on her favorite people list after today.

"What sounds good?" Alice asked, reaching into one of my bags and extracting the jeans and red top that Edward had seen me in earlier. "Save this outfit for dancing, Bella, okay?" I nodded. "Promise?"

"Sure." I hoped she'd forget about it by then. I really didn't want to wear it out in public, and as bad as it sounded, I was even less inclined to do so when I knew Edward wouldn't be there to see me in it.

"Here, wear this tonight," she continued, handing me an identical pair of jeans and a beige sweater that I didn't remember trying on. When I frowned at it, she rolled her eyes. "You tried on a purple one just like it." I thought about it, and when I remembered it, I dropped it as though it had burned my hand.

"Oh, no," I said, shaking my head. The purple sweater had felt like it was two sizes too small, it was so tight – and the v-shaped neckline had plunged so low, it had showed the white cotton of my bra. "I can't believe you snuck this into my stuff!"

"Bella," she said calmly, digging through the Victoria's Secret bag that Edward had seen me with. "Just wear it with these, and you'll be fine." She tossed me the off-white push-up bra and matching boyshorts. "The bra is the same color, so he won't know the difference."

"Alice, seriously. Why the big push for us to have sex?"

"Why would you say something like that?" she asked, pretending to look innocent. "I just want you to match and wear a bra that won't show through."

"If I wear it, I'm wearing my hoodie with it," I snapped, reaching for the item in question. It had been the one thing we'd agreed on all day. It was chocolate brown with tiny pink polka dots all over it – and it was the only thing that wasn't skin tight, apparently. She shrugged, which made me immediately suspicious.

"Fine. As long as you wear this stuff under it." She turned to Angela. "Pizza sound good?"

"Oh, yes," Angela replied, pulling on a buttery yellow colored sweater, and petting her sleeves admiringly. "Pizza sounds great."

"Angela," I whined, turning to her. "How can you just let her railroad your best friend like this?"

"Because I agree with her one hundred percent."

"Even the sex thing?" I gasped.

"I think you're only putting off the inevitable if you don't," she said, trying to sound reasonable. "You know I don't condone casual sex, but nothing about the two of you suggests that it would _be_ casual."

I stared at her, at a total loss for words.

"Go, get dressed!" Alice said, shoving me towards a door in the corner of the room. "That's the bathroom. I'll call Edward and let him know we're here."

I took the clothes she'd handed me and went into the bathroom, where I ripped the tags off violently. How could they both gang up on me like this? And why were they pushing so hard for me to sleep with Edward? I had definite misgivings about doing it so early, though I couldn't deny that I did eventually want to. We had some crazy physical chemistry going on, there was no doubt about that. That scared me, too.

I stripped out of my comfortable clothes and began pulling on the new ones that made it a risky venture to bend over or sit down. Once I'd put the hoodie on, though, I felt much better. The jeans were something I knew Edward would like, since he'd already seen me in similar ones. I took my hair down and ran my fingers through it, since I didn't have a brush. Then I folded up my comfy clothes and returned to the bedroom, where Alice and Angela had already changed and were sitting on the bed, giggling like little girls.

"Oh, Bella," Angela breathed, smiling. "You look so cute in that hoodie."

"I told Edward we were here," Alice said, grimacing a little bit. I smirked. I'd be willing to bet that he'd given her a well-deserved earful. I dropped my clothes into one of the open bags that I knew was mine. "He said he'd help carry your bags in when he takes you home tonight – and he told me to go ahead and send you over as soon as you were finished changing."

I tried not to look too smug as I smiled and waved, and then I left the room. I was so happy to be seeing Edward again that I felt like I nearly floated all the way over to his apartment. I knocked on the door, and when he opened it, I gave him my most brilliant smile. His answering grin was breathtaking. He moved to the side and gestured for me to come in.

"I told Alice that I wanted to come and get you," he explained, shaking his head. "But as per usual, she ignored me and did exactly what she wanted to do. Do you want me to hang your jacket up for you?"

_Crap._ I'd forgotten about Edward's unfailing manners; I hadn't considered that he'd ask me to remove the hoodie. I sighed. Of course, that had to have been why Alice had agreed to let me wear it. I gave him an uncertain look, and he frowned.

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, you didn't," I said, fidgeting and playing with the bottom of the hoodie. "I just think it'd probably be a good idea for me to keep it on for right now."

"Why?"

"Alice told me what to wear, and I wore this to cover it up," I said honestly. He cocked his head to the side and studied my face carefully.

"Is it completely hideous?"

"No, it's not _hideous_, it's just – it's not _me_," I explained. He folded his arms across his chest and grinned.

"Are you embarrassed?"

"Of course I am," I said, feeling exasperated.

"Why?"

"Because I'm not comfortable in it," I said, my eyes narrowing at his teasing grin. "That's usually the reason people feel embarrassed, Edward – because they're not comfortable."

"All right," he said, holding his hands up in surrender. "But if you want to take it off and show me, I promise not to laugh."

"I'm not worried about you laughing," I said. His grin faded and his eyes darkened.

"Oh."

"Exactly."

"Maybe we'd better go ahead and order our food, then," he said, his voice breaking. I watched as he retrieved a phone book from the small table next to his front door. "What are you in the mood for?"

"As long as it's food, I don't care what kind it is," I said, sitting down heavily on his couch. "I'm starving. Alice and Angela wouldn't let me stop long enough even to grab a pretzel." He grinned at me.

"Sorry. But you know, in all fairness, I _did _warn you about her."

"I know. I have a feeling that Angela might become a permanent fixture around here – she and Alice got along great. I guess it helps that she had someone to unite with against the evil that was apparently my wardrobe." He chuckled.

"Okay, we have pizza, Chinese, Italian, or Mexican. Anything else and we'd have to go out and get it – those are the only places that deliver."

"What sounds good to you?" I asked, resting my head against the back of the couch.

"Pasta," he said. "With a very heavy, rich sauce." I looked up in time to see his finger trailing down the page he was looking at, and my tongue darted out to moisten my dry lips.

"Italian it is, then," I said, hoping my voice didn't sound strange. He glanced up and caught me watching him. I turned away, feeling my cheeks burning, and shoved my hands into the pockets conveniently provided by my hoodie.

"What do you like?"

"Whatever you're getting is fine," I answered, not turning to look at him. I closed my eyes and concentrated on steadying my breathing instead. "I'm not picky."

I listened as he called the restaurant and placed an order, and when I heard his phone snap shut, I finally opened my eyes. He was standing in front of me, giving me a strange look. "Is something wrong?"

"No. I'm just tired." Well, it wasn't _completely_ a lie, I thought. He seemed to accept this answer and walked to the television, where two thin boxes were sitting. He held them up.

"I rented both of these. If you don't want to watch either of them, we can always pick something of mine." He was holding a romantic comedy and a drama. I pointed to the comedy. Laughter was safer. If I cried during the drama, he might feel the need to comfort me, and then I might feel the need to jump him. I smiled to myself.

"Do you want to start it before dinner, or after?"

"After," I said. "If that's okay."

"Why wouldn't it be?" he asked, sounding amused. "Would you like a drink?"

"Absolutely. But I can get it, Edward, you don't have to wait on me."

"Nonsense," he scoffed, disappearing for a moment, and then returning with a can of Cherry Coke. I took it gratefully, popping the tab and taking a long drink. I watched as he did the same with the regular Coke he'd gotten for himself.

"So how was the rest of your day?" I asked. "I mean, it can't have been _bad,_ since you didn't have two fashion-crazed women dragging _you_ around." He laughed and put his Coke on the coffee table in front of us. I followed suit, being sure to use a coaster as he'd done.

"It was fine. I just came back here and took care of some things. Nothing as exciting as what you were forced to endure, I'm sure." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Exciting isn't the word I'd use," I said. "It's much too _nice_."

"What were Angela and Alice planning on doing tonight?" he asked, grinning at me.

"I think they were going out for pizza. The way they were dressed, though, you'd think they were going to a party."

"Alice has been like that since she was thirteen years old," he explained, shaking his head. "That's when she decided that she wanted to design her own clothes, and not just wear what others had designed."

"That's cool," I said. "I didn't decide what I wanted to do with my life until three years ago –and sometimes I'm still not sure."

"Why is that?"

I shrugged. "I'm fickle, I guess." He laughed.

"You may be many things, Bella, but I seriously doubt that fickle is one of them."

"How do _you_ know?" I challenged, arching an eyebrow at him. "You've known me for a week. For all you know, I could be some psycho killer, or something."

"Yes, and I'm terrified," he said dryly, still smiling.

"Well, you don't know, I _could_ be," I insisted. He laughed this time.

"Do you _want_ me to think that you're psychotic?"

"Not really. You might never kiss me again if you did." I felt my face burn with embarrassment. Well, we had agreed to be honest, hadn't we? After I'd said it, I realized that he hadn't kissed me since I'd come in.

"Then perhaps you'd better stop trying to convince me," he said teasingly. "Because I don't like the idea of never kissing you again." I rolled my eyes and snorted as I looked away, but I'm sure he could tell I was pleased. I couldn't suppress my smile. "Which reminds me, actually," he began, his eyes still on me. "I haven't done that yet this evening." My eyes snapped up to meet his.

"No, you haven't," I agreed. He leaned across the couch and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips, and I frowned as he pulled away. He ran his fingers through his hair and backed away from me, giving me an apologetic look as he did.

"I'm sorry. I know it wasn't – well, it wasn't the sort of kiss I'd _like_ to give you right now," he explained hesitantly. "I'm just worried that if I kiss you properly…" his voice trailed off as he searched for the words he needed. My frown deepened.

"You're worried about…?" I prompted.

"Well, you saw how carried away I got in the mall today," he said, looking up at me. "And that was in _public_, something I've never done before. I was able to stop because I knew there were people around, and someone could see us at any moment. Here there's no one to chaperone us, and I'm not entirely sure I could stop like I did today." He looked extremely uncomfortable, and suddenly I was kind of mad.

I mean, I _wanted_ those kisses. I _deserved_ them, even, after having the sort of day I'd had. And I realized as the disappointment washed over me that I'd expected them. I was confident enough that if I felt that things were going further than I wanted them to, I'd be able to stop him. I knew enough of him to know that he wasn't the type of guy to force himself on someone who didn't want him. I felt the frown smooth away as I made my decision: I was going to do everything in my power to _make_ him kiss me. And if he didn't by the end of the movie, I'd kiss him.

"Are you upset with me?" he asked gently, pulling me from my thoughts. I shook my head and smiled at him.

"No." I took another drink of my soda, and after I'd replaced it, I stood up and unzipped the hoodie. I heard him suck in a breath as I removed it and went to hang it on one of the hooks that was on the wall next to his front door. When I turned back around, he was looking away from me, his jaw clenched tightly. I tried not to look _too_ triumphant – apparently just seeing me in the sweater tested the limits of his self-control.

_Thank you, Alice. From now on, I promise I will let you tell me what to wear every time I see your brother._ I returned to my spot on the couch and gave him the most innocent look I could muster under the circumstances. "Is something wrong, Edward?" He took a deep breath before finally turning his gaze on me.

"Not at all." I smiled sweetly. The more he denied both of us, the sweeter victory would be – and I _would_ be victorious. We sat there in absolute silence until there was a knock at the door. He jumped up off of the couch as though he had been burnt, and I quelled my laughter as he practically ran to the door.

He paid the delivery boy and brought the food back to the couch, sitting it on the coffee table in front of us before beginning to unpack everything. I inhaled deeply. "Oh, it smells so good!"

"I hope you like it," he said, shooting me a genuine smile, even though his rigid posture revealed how tense he still was. I would have felt sorry for him if I wasn't so determined to break him down. "Fettuccine Alfredo is my favorite, and they make the best I've ever had."

"Then I'm sure I'll love it," I assured him, taking the food he pushed toward me. "Thanks." He waited until I'd taken a bite before he spoke again.

"So have you given any thought as to what you'll put on your 'spontaneous combustion' CD?" he asked casually. I choked on my food. He tried not to laugh as he smacked my back while I coughed and spluttered, but he failed miserably. I glared at him through narrowed eyes, but he only smiled back at me innocently. So it was going to be war, was it? He had to know he'd lose. I wasn't going to give up that easily. I finished composing myself and took a sip of soda.

"Actually," I began, twirling some pasta around my fork, "I have. I can think of several songs that get me in the mood." I'd timed it perfectly. He'd been taking a drink of his soda when I'd said it – and now he was spluttering soda all down the front of his t-shirt. I shoved the forkful of pasta into my mouth to hide the wicked smile. He gave me an incredulous look.

"Is that right," he said, rising from the couch.

"Yes. Where are you going? Aren't you going to-" My words died as I watched him pull off his shirt. The muscles in his back rippled with the motion, and suddenly my throat felt like the Gobi desert.

"I have to change my shirt," he said, his back still turned to me as he went through the second drawer of his dresser. It hadn't escaped my notice that he sounded amused, but damn it! I couldn't very well take _my_ shirt off! How was I going to come back from that? I didn't know; I was too busy watching as he pulled another shirt on. He smirked at me as he returned to his seat, and I pursed my lips. He _knew_ I'd been watching him! "Sorry. Couldn't very well sit here with a wet shirt on." I raised an eyebrow at him, and then turned back to my food. "What's the matter, Bella? Is something wrong?" Ooh! Now he was mocking me! This just wouldn't fly. He was going _down._

"No, nothing is wrong," I said nonchalantly, taking another bite of my food and chewing thoughtfully. Turnabout was fair play, right? "You know," I began, glancing around. "It still feels warm in here to me." His eyes widened in panic, and I knew I had him. I let one of my hands tug at the hem of the sweater uncertainly for a moment, relishing the way his eyes were glued to my actions, and then I decided to have mercy on him for now. I pulled my hand away, noting with no small amount of satisfaction that he looked just as disappointed as he did relieved. He got up suddenly and went over to the thermostat box on the wall, turning the knob slightly. When he sat back down on the couch, I gave him a brilliant smile.

"Thanks. You know, this is really good." He relaxed a tiny bit.

"I'm glad you like it." We ate in silence for a moment, and then he half-turned back to me. "Do you _really_ already have an idea for your CD, or were you just teasing me?"

"No, I was being serious." I watched as he frowned, and then his face smoothed out again. That happened two more times before I realized that he was arguing with himself, trying to decide whether or not to ask me whatever he was wanting to ask. "Do you want to ask me something?"

"Yes, but – I don't want it to be misconstrued, and I can't think of a way to phrase it so it won't be."

"Just spit it out," I said, smiling.

"All right." He still hesitated before asking me. "Does that mean that hearing those songs makes you want to-" His cheeks turned a bright scarlet, and he clamped his lips together. Embarrassed Edward was so adorable. I couldn't help but giggling a little bit, and he frowned at me. "What's so funny?"

"You can ask me anything you want to, Edward, and I won't be offended or lie to you. We've already agreed to be honest, remember? And I think the fantasy thing was pretty embarrassing, but we made it through that. Just ask me." He studied me for a while, and then a smile lit his face.

"Have I told you today how utterly amazing you are?" He breathed. I felt my cheeks warm slightly, and I shook my head.

"You're not so bad, yourself," I returned, taking a gulp of my soda. He was still watching me, and I shifted slightly in my seat. Suddenly his eyes darkened, and I saw his knuckles turn white as he gripped his fork harder. I frowned. I started to open my mouth to ask him what I'd said when I realized that his gaze was focused below my face. My heart sped up. "What did I say?"

"You didn't _say_ anything," he said, sounding strangled. I frowned and looked down. When I had moved, my sweater had shifted slightly. Not a lot, but enough to make the edge of one lacy bra cup visible. I gasped and tugged the garment up a little bit in an effort to hide it.

"I'm sorry," I said hurriedly, putting the sweater right. "I didn't mean for that to happen. Alice-"

"At least I can tell Alice that I've seen you in it," he said, looking away from me. I watched as he began cleaning up the food in front of him. "And I can say it without lying, so maybe she'll stop haranguing me about it."

"Is she trying to convince you to sleep with me?" I asked. His head whipped around and he gaped at me. I coughed delicately. "Because she's doing the same thing to me." He put the pile he'd just picked up back down on the table and leaned back, resting his head against the back of the couch, and closed his eyes. He rubbed his face with his hands.

"Has she made me sound completely desperate? That's not what this is to me, by the way," he added quickly.

"What?"

"I don't want you to think that I'm only interested in you in a casual way," he explained, dropping his hands to his lap and looking at me. My heart was beating so loudly in my ears that I was sure he could hear it. "That couldn't be further from the truth."

"So what you're trying to say is that you're not interested in sleeping with me?" I asked, only half teasing.

"I didn't say that," he amended quickly. "I just – I don't want to do anything that would destroy what we're building." He frowned. "Or what I _hope_ we're building." I was hyper aware of the motion of my chest rising and falling with my ragged breaths. He looked down at his hands in his lap.

"You won't destroy anything by _kissing_ me, Edward, and you haven't even done that tonight."

"That's because I'm afraid of what might happen if I do; I told you that already. I might not be able to stop at just kissing you." I changed position on the couch, tucking my feet beneath me as I turned completely to face him.

"What if I didn't want you to stop?" He stared at me. "I mean, did you think about asking me?"

"Are you saying that you want to have sex with me?"

"Yes," I breathed. "Maybe not right this second, but…" I nodded my head and looked down. I took a steadying breath and raised my eyes back up to his. He was staring at me, his mouth slightly open. "But that doesn't mean that I want you to stop kissing me."

"I can't-" his voice cracked, and then he shut his mouth completely when I began to crawl towards him.

"I think that between the two of us, if one of us thinks it's going too far, we can stop," I whispered, crawling even closer. He sucked in a quick breath.

"Do you realize how completely tempting you are?" he asked quietly. "Dressed like that, crawling towards me, and practically begging me to kiss you – and you think I'm going to have _any_ self control after this? If you do, you're sorely mistaken. You happen to be acting out part of another one of my fantasies." I stopped and bit my lip, giving him a soft smile. I was so close to winning.

"I am?"

"And now you're biting your lip again," he pointed out. "What if I can't stop?"

"You'll be fine," I said, closing the remaining distance between us. "We're both fully clothed. We just have to commit to stay that way, if it worries you so much that you might go further than you want."

"Lots of things can be done _through_ clothes, though," he pointed out, tentatively lifting a finger to trace my lips with it.

"I'm sort of counting on that."

"Do you know how badly I want you right now? If you did, you wouldn't be saying things like that to me." The butterflies that had erupted in my stomach an hour ago began flying around kamikaze-style, and I hesitated. It was clear to me now that if I didn't make the first move, he never would. He was too worried about the potential damage it would do to our burgeoning relationship. It was sweet, but unnecessary – I'd never wanted anything in my life the way I wanted Edward now.

It was now or never. I lifted my leg and moved to straddle him. He hissed when I did it, but he didn't stop me. I scooted forward on his lap and pressed myself against him. At first when he closed his eyes, I thought he was trying to ignore me; but then I felt his hands on my outer thighs.

"You're really intent on pushing my limits, aren't you?" His voice was so soft I barely heard it.

"I can stop if you don't like it," I said, completely unwilling to do anything of the sort. I hadn't kissed him yet because if I did, he won, and I was determined to break him first. He didn't say anything for a long time, though he looked pained – his forehead was creased and his jaw was clenched. As soon as he opened his eyes, I knew victory was imminent.

"Bella." He said my name almost like a benediction. I was already lowering my face to his when he brought his hands up to pull me closer.

If I'd thought he was going to give himself over to me immediately, I was wrong. He was being too careful with me. His lips were barely brushing up against mine, which was okay at first, but quickly became extremely frustrating. I touched my tongue to his lips, begging entrance, but he didn't open his mouth to me. I wasn't about to give up, though. When it became clear that he had no intention of kissing me any deeper, I decided to try one of his own moves on him. I pressed my lips lightly against his chin, and then worked my way up his jawline. I placed a slightly open-mouthed kiss to the spot just below his ear.

I heard his labored breathing as I worked my way slowly down his neck, and felt his fingers beginning to dig into my thighs through the jeans. I kept my mouth closed as I continued my assault – until I got to the hollow at the base of his throat. When I reached that, I couldn't help myself, and I touched the tip of my tongue lightly to the skin there, needing to taste him.

That was when he finally broke.

I had no sooner gotten a taste of his skin than he grabbed my cheeks and brought my face up so his lips could come crashing down onto mine. Almost as soon as our lips touched, his tongue forced its way into my mouth. I moaned into the kiss and tangled my fingers in the hair at the back of his head. When I felt his hands cupping my rear through the jeans, I moaned again and ground myself against him. He gave a sort of whimper and began kneading me with his fingers. We were kissing so hard that my lips would definitely be swollen later; maybe even bruised. But I reveled in it – he'd held out all night, and I was finally getting what I wanted.

His mouth moved away from mine suddenly, but before I could protest, he was kissing his way down my neck. I tilted my head back and arched into him, trying to give him more access, and he groaned. When I felt his tongue touch the hollow of my throat – the same place that had broken him – I ground myself against him, this time harder than before. He pulled his mouth away from mine long enough to catch his breath, and then I felt his mouth on the exposed skin just above the valley between my breasts. Somehow I had managed to completely miss the upward motion of his fingers, which were now touching the small of my back _beneath_ the sweater. I bit my lip, but the whimper escaped anyway.

His mouth went lower, and I shuddered against him. He pulled away, but before he could disengage himself completely, I reached down and grabbed the hem of the sweater and yanked it over my head. He gasped, and for a long moment, he looked angry enough that I thought he might push me away. Instead he reached out a long finger and trailed it down the exposed swell of my breast. I watched his finger's progression from one breast to the other, and then I closed my eyes to enjoy the feel of it.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered reverently. I was disappointed when I felt him pull his finger away, and I opened my eyes to look at him. He was breathing hard, and his eyes were hazy with lust, much the same as I supposed mine were.

"Touch me, Edward," I breathed, amazed at my own bravado. He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he shook his head.

"We need to stop before this goes any further," he said, his voice stronger than it had been a moment ago.

"Please," I replied, ashamed at how ready I was to beg.

"You said we would keep our clothes on," he reminded me gently.

"I don't care," I said stubbornly, leaning forward and kissing him wildly. He returned the kiss with every bit of fervor that I poured into it, but he didn't lay his hands on me again. Gradually I realized that we had probably done as much as he was willing to do tonight, and I was desperately trying to undermine his self-control. I sighed and kissed him again, gentler this time. He finally lifted his hands to cup my cheeks and returned the kiss with so much tenderness it made me want to cry.

"Don't think for even a nanosecond that I don't want to," he said softly as I disengaged myself from him. "I don't think you realize how much I would love to just throw you on my bed and have my way with you, but I just don't want to damage things between us when I finally get to do that. I have to make sure-"

"Edward," I interrupted, fishing my sweater off of the floor and pulling it back on. "Are you trying to say you think I won't respect you in the morning?" He stared at me for a second, and then burst into laughter. I smiled at him.

"I suppose that's exactly what I'm trying to say," he said, his grin wide. We smiled at each other for a whole minute before he sighed. "You know, tomorrow is going to be terrible for me, knowing that we're both going to be in class all day, and I can't just see you whenever I want to." If it was humanly possible for someone to actually _glow,_ I was pretty sure I'd be doing it right then.

"We'll see each other in class," I reasoned, shrugging. "And if you _want_ to see me afterwards, I wouldn't object to it." He snorted with laughter.

"Don't sound so enthusiastic," he teased. I smiled at him.

"I believe you promised me a movie."

"That I did." He rose from the couch, and I watched as he started the movie. When he returned to his seat, he opened his arms, and I snuggled up to him. It was nice just sitting there with my head resting against him, and his arm wrapped around me, laughing with him. We stayed like that through the entire movie, and when it was over, he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of my head.

"As much as I hate to do it, I'd probably better be getting you home."

"It's going to take an hour just to get all the stupid bags to my car," I said, wrinkling my nose. He chuckled and dropped a light kiss on the end of my nose.

"It won't take _that_ long."

I watched as he stood up and stretched, and then he turned and held out his hand to me. I took it and let him help me stand up, and then I wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my head on his shoulder.

"I had fun tonight, even if you didn't let me have my wicked way with you." He made a surprised noise, and then he laughed as he wrapped his arms around me.

"I had fun, too." His arms tightened around me. "This has probably been one of the best weekends of my life, believe it or not. I'm very sad to see it come to an end."

"It doesn't have to end," I said, pulling back and waggling my eyebrows suggestively at him. He laughed and shook his head.

"So eager to get into my bed," he sighed. "I have to admit, it's kind of nice, even if I don't plan on acting on the impulse any time soon."

"You think it's _fun_ that you're making me beg?"

"No, I didn't say that. It's just that I don't usually let anyone get close to me, and now that you've started, you still seem to want me. It's just nice, is all."

"Like you don't have girls begging you to sleep with them all the time," I scoffed as he released me.

"In the last three years, I haven't even considered taking a woman to my bed – until now." I felt my face warm, and he grinned at me as he handed me my hoodie. "I'm sure you've had to fight off your fair share of suitors as well."

"Suitors?" I echoed, watching him take the remnants of our dinner into his small kitchen to throw away. "My dad didn't let me date until my senior year of high school, and since then, I've been on four dates – three of which have been with you, by the way." He turned and stared at me, utter surprise written on his face.

"I don't believe that."

"I promise it's the truth. You can call and ask him. It was really the only rule he-"

"I meant that I can't believe you haven't been asked out more."

"Oh," I said. "Yeah, I've only been asked out a couple of times, but I turned them all down."

"How many is a couple?" he asked curiously, leading me out of his apartment.

"Maybe six," I offered, frowning as I thought about it. He stopped on the stairs and turned to look at me incredulously. "And three of those times were by the same guy. He just wouldn't take a hint."

"I'm having a hard time believing this." He shook his head.

"I don't know why," I said, shrugging. We continued our descent down the stairs, and when we reached the bottom, he turned to me.

"Maybe it's because I can't seem to keep my hands off of you," he explained, reaching out and pulling me close to him. "Or maybe it's because if I could, I'd be kissing you every moment that we're together." He leaned down and caught my lips up in his several times. "Or it could be because you make me smile much more than I'm used to. Whatever the reason," he said, his breath hot on my ear, "I'm glad that no one at home snatched you up. I wouldn't have you now if they had."

"Edward," I breathed, licking my suddenly parched lips.

"Mm?" He was pressing feather-light kisses to the spot just below my ear.

"If you really aren't going to ravish me tonight, you'd best stop what you're doing." He pulled away, and when I looked up at his face, I saw the epic smirk he was wearing.

"Nice bit of information to file away for use another time," he replied, releasing me completely. I frowned.

"Like you'd even _have_ to seduce me," I grumbled. "I'm much easier than I thought." He laughed as we went inside the house, and made our way to Alice's bedroom. "I'm probably going to have to seduce _you_." I watched as he flipped on the light and frowned at the bags on the floor. "What turns you on, Edward?" He turned surprised eyes to me.

"Excuse me?"

"You're filing away information about me," I reminded him, pointing to the bags that were mine. "Why can't I do the same thing to you?"

"Because the woman isn't supposed to seduce the man," he said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You know what? I don't really like chauvinistic Edward," I said, shaking my head. He grinned.

"There's more than one Edward?"

"Definitely."

"That's interesting. How many are there?" He began scooping the bags up.

"At last count, there were five."

"Five?" He asked, surprise evident in his voice. I nodded. "All right, let's hear it." I picked up the remaining three bags and followed him out to the car.

"Embarrassed Edward, Chauvinistic Edward, Romantic Edward, Teasing Edward, and Sexually Repressed Edward." He nearly dropped the bags and turned to look at me.

"_Sexually Repressed_ Edward?" He echoed incredulously.

"Obviously." He opened the car door and began shoving the bags inside.

"You've barely known me for a week and you think you've got me all figured out," he teased, shaking his head. He took the bags I was holding and shoved them into the car.

"No, I don't think I have you all figured out," I disagreed. "I'm just telling you what I've seen so far." He shut the car door, and then maneuvered both of us so that he had my back pressed up against the door he'd just closed, pinning me there.

"You know," he breathed, his lips so close to mine that I could feel his breath when he spoke. "There's a difference between being sexually repressed and wanting to take my time with you and enjoy it. I promise you, Bella, when we do share a bed, I'm going to take my time with it." I gulped loudly, and he smirked as he dropped his arms. He opened the door for me, and I slid in, frowning as I did. Once he was behind the wheel and the car was moving, he turned to me.

"Would you want to spend some time together tomorrow after class?"

"No," I said, folding my arms over my chest and pouting. He frowned at me.

"No? Why not?"

"Because I'll probably have combusted by then – there'll be nothing left of me for you to hang out with." He burst into laughter, and I gave him a grudging smile. "As soon as I get back to my room, I'm going to start your CD."

"Well, if you _haven't_ turned to a pile of ash by then, would you like to spend some time with me tomorrow afternoon?"

"Love to."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note: **__Sorry it took so long to get this chapter posted – holidays hold things up, especially when you have as many children as I do! Love to all who have reviewed and/or added this story to their favorites. Here's to hoping everyone has been enjoying a healthy, happy holiday season! Bella's Spontaneous Combustion playlist will be posted next chapter, after she gives the CD to Edward._

**Chapter Nine**

_**Bella's POV**_

On Monday morning, I awoke with the strangest feeling in the pit of my stomach. On one hand, I was excited to see Edward again, but on the other hand, I knew that I would be seeing Jacob as well – and I was _not_ looking forward to that encounter. I was still upset with him for the terrible time I'd had on our date.

For once (probably the first time in history), I woke up before Angela. I showered and dressed quietly, choosing one of my new outfits to wear. I examined myself in the full-length mirror that was attached to our door, pivoting left and right to make sure I looked okay. The skinny jeans were good, I decided, though I was lukewarm about the purple top I was wearing. It was a tank top that was a little more fitted than I would have chosen for myself (which meant that it was hugging every curve) – but that was probably what Alice had had in mind when she'd chosen it. I shrugged and reached for my tennis shoes.

"Alice will kill you if you don't wear the heels she bought to go with that shirt," Angela said sleepily. I turned and grimaced at her as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"You know how accident prone I am," I said, shaking my head in protest. "I would break my ankle in the first ten minutes. There's no _way_ I'm putting those death traps on my feet."

"Bella," she sighed. She threw the covers off of her legs and winced when her feet touched the cool tile of the floor. "How are you going to learn to walk in them if you don't practice?"

"I will practice somewhere safe," I snapped. "Like here."

"Or Edward's apartment," she suggested cattily. I narrowed my eyes at her, though even at the mention of his name my heart fluttered. "You came in too late for me to question. What did you guys do?"

"We ordered in some Italian food and watched a DVD he rented." Her eyebrows rose.

"That's it?"

"That's it," I said innocently. She sighed.

"I had been hoping for something more romantic," she admitted. "Especially with the getup you had on. Alice was sure he'd jump you." I cleared my throat and opted to slip on a pair of silver ballet flats that I'd gotten last year.

"We kissed a few times, but that's as far as it went." _Technically_ that was the truth… right?

"Did he ask you out again?"

"Not really. He asked if I wanted to hang out after class today."

"Does that mean that I won't be seeing you for dinner?"

"I don't know. He didn't mention dinner." I ran a brush through my hair, and then clipped the sides of my hair back. I turned around when I heard a loud beeping noise. Angela grabbed her cell phone off of the top of her dresser and flipped it open.

"Alice wants to know why you don't have a cell phone," she relayed, giggling. I rolled my eyes. "She says she's going to take you cell phone shopping tonight. She also wants to know if you and her brother-"

"Tell her no on both counts," I said. I watched as she typed in the message and hit send. After a few minutes, the phone beeped again. "What did she say?"

"She said if you don't go phone shopping with her, she's just going to pick one out for you herself." The phone beeped again. "And she says she's disappointed in you."

"It wasn't for lack of trying," I grumbled. Angela's head whipped up and she stared at me.

"You're holding out on me again! You keep doing that! What happened?"

"I got a little carried away with a game we were playing, and I got shot down – repeatedly."

"You'll just have to keep chipping away until you wear that boy down," she said, her back to me as she rummaged through her closet. "You know Alice is serious about the phone thing, right?"

"Yes, and it's kind of scary," I admitted. "I don't have a cell phone because I can't afford one."

"She'll pay for it."

"No, her _father_ will pay for it."

"She said she was going to add you to Edward's plan." She snorted with laughter, and I smiled, even though I was still upset about it.

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll just love that. You don't think she's pushing way too hard for me and her brother to be together?"

"I didn't think you minded." She pulled her jeans on and reached for a peasant shirt she'd bought yesterday. "You seem really into him."

"I am. I don't mean that. I just meant that it seems a little strange that she wants us together so badly."

"Bella," she chided, sitting down to slip on a pair of open-toed heels. I was jealous that she was able to walk in them and still look graceful. "You can see that he's a gorgeous male specimen, so obviously he's not a freak who can't get a girl. And you're obviously completely smitten with him, so you know he's got personality. I think she's just pushing because she wants him to be happy and she sees that he is when he's with you."

"That's incredibly insightful," I said, smiling. She smiled back. "Is this your first week of freshman psych rearing its ugly head? Do I need to be worried about being subject to this for the entire time that we're roommates?" She laughed.

"I wasn't trying to be insightful – just observant. You should try it sometime. He's crazy about you."

"He said he liked me."

"He is nuts over you," she corrected, standing and picking up her cell phone. She shoved it into her pocket, and then grabbed her messenger bag. I grabbed mine and followed her out of the room. "And you're head over heels for him." I pondered this silently for a few minutes. Once we were out in the parking lot, I turned to her.

"He said he didn't want to ruin our burgeoning relationship by having sex so soon," I blurted, glancing around to make sure no one had heard me.

"Oh, that's so sweet," she cooed. I rolled my eyes. "And it proves my point. He cares about you – a lot."

"How can he? He barely knows me."

"Are you playing devil's advocate on purpose?"

"No."

"You are obviously very enamored with him. Why can't you accept that he might feel the same way or stronger about you?"

"This whole thing scares me. I've never felt something so intense about _anyone_, and the fact that we've only known each other for a week – and I threw myself at him last night," I groaned.

"There's nothing wrong with love at first sight. You've been a big believer since seventh grade. Remember?"

"Romeo and Juliet is far from reality."

"And," she continued, ignoring me. "There's nothing wrong in sharing physical expressions of love when you're sure it's what you want." I stared at her, and she frowned at me as we approached the dining hall. "It _is_ what you want, right? I mean, you're not trying just because Alice and I are pushing, are you?"

"No. I want him more than I've ever wanted anything in my life," I said. Then, embarrassed, I added: "In more ways than one." She looked smug.

"Yeah, I thought as much." We went inside and made our way through the line, and sat down with our breakfasts. "Is he the type who wants to wait until he's married?"

"I don't think so." I remembered his comment about taking his time when we finally shared a bed, and my cheeks felt like they had been exposed to an open flame. Angela didn't seem to notice my reaction.

"I'd keep trying if it's something you really want."

"I don't know that I could handle being rejected that many times," I said, laughing softly. She smiled.

"He'll cave eventually. He can't hold out forever."

"I don't want to push him into something he doesn't want to do."

"He _wants_ to do it. Trust me – the way he looks at you when you're not watching tells me that much."

"When the time is right, he will," I said, sounding more optimistic than I really felt.

"Hey guys." I looked up and my heart fell into my stomach. Jacob and Mike were taking what was becoming their usual seats. "Do anything interesting this weekend?"

"We went shopping," Angela said brightly.

"Yay," Mike deadpanned. Angela laughed and rolled her eyes. Jacob smiled at her, and then shot a smile at me.

"You look fantastic," he told me. I felt my cheeks burn and I gave him a quick smile before focusing my attention on my bowl of cereal. I was nervous that any gesture I made would be construed as encouragement, and that was the last thing I wanted to do in Jacob's case.

"Thanks," I mumbled.

"Hey, Jacob, thanks for taking me to that party," Angela said, distracting him for me. I shot her a grateful smile.

"You know, you really made an impression on one of my friends."

"Oh?"

"Ben Cheney. He says he called you, but he was too chicken to ask you out."

"Does he _want_ to go out with me?"

"In the worst way," Jacob said through a mouthful of sausage. I wrinkled my nose in distaste at the sight and snorted softly. "You're all I've heard about since Friday night. He knows that Mike and I hang with you, so he keeps pestering me for information."

I laughed. "Hang with her?"

"Yeah," he said, shooting me a brilliant smile. I made a point of snarfing down my cereal so he wouldn't feel the need to turn the conversation back to me, and he turned to Angela instead. "Why don't _you_ ask _him_ out?"

"Because I'm an old-fashioned girl, and I believe that the man should ask the woman out."

"I'll give him the message."

"Yeah, tell him to man up and ask her out before someone else gets to her," Mike interjected suddenly. I glanced up at him, noting with amusement that his face was pink.

"Like you, you mean?" Jacob asked, laughing. I felt so bad for Mike – he was obviously embarrassed. The pink on his face turned to red. Angela cleared her throat and took a drink of her milk.

"He's right, you know," she said finally. Mike exhaled softly. "If he doesn't have the guts to ask me out, maybe he should just lose my number." I raised my eyebrows at her, but said nothing. I mouthed the words _I'm leaving_ at her, and she nodded. I stood and slung my bag over my shoulder, and Jacob frowned up at me.

"You leaving?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and go. I got there late Wednesday and had to sit all the way in the back, and I can't hear from back there." My excuse sounded lame even to me.

"If you just wait a minute, I'll walk you."

"That's okay, Jacob, I know how to get there now." He looked disappointed, and I felt a pang of remorse for treating him so coolly, but I knew that as soon as he got me alone, he was going to ask me out on that second date. I would avoid that at all costs.

"I see how it is," Angela said teasingly. "You like Bella, but not me." She fake-pouted, and I used the opportunity to take off. It was sneaky and underhanded, but the relief I felt when I slid into my seat in the classroom was so overwhelming that I couldn't bring myself to be sorry for doing it.

Angela had been right – a cell phone would have come in handy right about now. I could text her and say sorry for running out and leaving her with them, and then let her know how I'd just decided I was going to skip lunch. Now I just had to figure out how I was going to get out of the building without Jacob seeing me do it.

I stayed hidden in the corner of the room where my third class of the day had been held for nearly twenty minutes after dismissal. Jacob was a growing boy, and judging from the way he ate, he wasn't going to miss a meal. I finally stuck my head out the door and glanced around. When I saw no sign of him, I darted out of the building and headed across campus to Shermer Hall. I got a soda and a package of crackers from some vending machines that were just inside the door, and then went back outside to sit on a bench. My stomach was letting me know just how much it hated missing a meal – and loudly, too. I had just taken a drink of the soda when a shadow fell over me.

"You're here early." He sounded pleased. My heart fluttered wildly as he sat down next to me.

"I might say the same thing about you," I teased. "Couldn't wait to see me, huh?"

"Absolutely not." He was still smiling, but I heard the serious note in his voice, and it made my stomach do crazy cartwheels. "Finish your CD?" I nearly choked on the bite of cracker I'd just swallowed. He grinned evilly.

"Why? Did you finish _yours?_" I shot back.

"I got a good start on it," he said, shrugging. "I see you're not a pile of ash – you must not have worked on it at all."

"You don't look singed either, pal," I said playfully. He laughed. I loved the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he did that. "I did actually work on it, though."

"Did you?"

"Yes. It's over halfway finished." His expression turned thoughtful. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just that-" He paused and gave me a rueful smile. "It's surprising to me how easily we're doing this."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"This rapport we have," he clarified, gesturing between us with his long fingers. My eyes drifted to his hands as he spoke. "I'm surprised by it, but I am glad we're able to do it so easily."

"Do what?" I asked, my face burning as I jerked my attention away from his hands. He chuckled.

"Have you heard a word I've just said?"

"Yes," I said defensively. He grinned wickedly.

"I don't think you were listening. You were too busy ogling my _hands._" I closed my eyes in utter humiliation. He _knew_ I liked his hands? My eyes snapped wide open when I felt his thumb caress my cheek gently. "Don't hide from me – I didn't mean to embarrass you, I was only teasing. Besides, I ogle you, too."

"Right," I breathed disbelievingly. He was still touching me, and it was making me feel lightheaded.

"I can't believe you haven't noticed me staring," he continued, his eyes locked on mine.

"At what?" I asked breathlessly. His hand moved away from my cheek, and then he was tracing my lips with his fingertip. My lips parted of their own accord, and I watched as his breathing hitched and his eyes darkened. He liked my _mouth?_ His hand dropped away, and I felt my pulse race as he leaned forward. My eyes closed just before he kissed me.

I lost awareness of everything except him and the feeling of his lips moving against mine. I felt desire pooling in my stomach, but I kept my hands to myself; I knew that if I touched him, I was probably going to attack him like I'd done the night before. Instead I savored the taste and feel of him. When he finally pulled away, both of us had flushed cheeks, and we both struggled to even out our breathing.

"Wow," I whispered, pressing a palm to my cheek in a vain attempt to cool it down.

"My thought exactly," he answered, pulling my hand away from my cheek and lacing his fingers through mine. He brought our joined hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of my hand before helping me to my feet. "We're a bit early, but why don't we go ahead and go in? We can be assured of sitting together that way."

"As if there are so many people in our class," I returned. He grinned.

I laughed as I gathered my things up and followed him inside, our hands still linked. I felt like I was floating instead of walking – I swear that as long as he held my hand, I never felt the ground beneath my feet. Was this what love was supposed to feel like? We entered the classroom, and he led me towards the back. I raised my eyebrows at him as we released each other and put our things down. Once we were both seated, he scooted his desk closer to mine, and reached for my hand again.

"I don't usually like to sit in the back."

"Liar. You sat in the back of the room on Wednesday."

"That was just so I could stare at you," he said, his face completely devoid of teasing. I studied his face for a moment before speaking.

"You stared at me?" He nodded. "Then why aren't you sitting behind me today? Did the view already get old?" I teased.

"It's easier to sit next to you. That way I can reach out and touch you if I want to, and that trumps staring any day of the week." I laughed.

"You sound like you're going to grope me in the middle of the lecture. Don't you think Cleary would notice?"

He grinned at me. "I doubt it. He doesn't see very much further than the end of his nose – especially not during one of his coffee-fueled sermons." I laughed again and shook my head at him. "I was really only talking about holding your hand, or maybe something like this-" He reached out and pushed my hair behind my shoulder, and I felt my breath catch. "But I'd be quite all right with more, if that's what you'd prefer."

I snorted. "Right." He smiled at me and squeezed my hand. "I wouldn't mind a little more." He looked surprised, and then he laughed as my cheeks burned at my admission. I bit my lip and looked down at our joined hands.

"I'd be more than happy to oblige when you do that," he said, his eyes darkening. He lowered his voice a bit. "I'll have you know that I was the sorriest man on the face of the earth last night."

"What are you talking about?"

"After I'd gotten back home, I couldn't sleep, so I started to work on your CD. Listening to those songs made me think about what had happened between us, and-" He cleared his throat and squeezed my hand again. "Well, let's just say I stayed awake for quite a while due to my extremely overactive imagination." My heart leapt into my throat.

"Really? You thought about me?" I was insanely pleased by his revelation. I had, of course, fallen asleep thinking of him. I hadn't stopped to think that he might be doing the same.

"It didn't help that I could smell your perfume when I went anywhere remotely near the sofa."

"Oh," I exhaled slowly, hoping that he didn't notice how ragged my breathing was. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I rather enjoyed it. In fact, I wouldn't mind if you wanted to make my whole apartment smell like you." My heart very nearly stopped beating then. Did he mean he just wanted me to come over a lot, or did he mean that he wanted us to have a repeat of last night everywhere in his apartment? Either way, I would be happy. I gave him a shaky smile.

"That seems like a lot of space to cover. Shouldn't we get started?" He groaned and closed his eyes momentarily. That could only mean that he'd been considering the second option, which made me feel as though we'd just walked into a sauna.

"If you only knew what you do to me," he began, opening his eyes and smiling at me.

"Tell me," I goaded. His eyes widened the tiniest bit.

"You know, I really don't think this is the place, otherwise I would be sorely tempted to do just that." He sighed and released my hand as students began to file into the room. He lowered his voice. "I was just thinking this morning that you're lucky you don't have a cell phone, because I would have been texting you _exactly_ what I was thinking about last night – while I was thinking it."

"I have a phone. You could have called me."

"And wake up your roommate? No, I wouldn't have done that." I considered his words for a moment, and frowned as something occurred to me.

"Edward," I began. He looked over at me. "You didn't by any chance tell Alice that you wished I had a cell phone, did you?"

"What?" He looked startled. "How did you know that? I mean, I did mention something at breakfast, but I didn't tell her _why_."

"Alice sent some text messages to Angela this morning that said I needed one, and if I didn't go with her today to get one, she was going to buy one for me."

"That sounds like my meddling sister," he mumbled, laughing.

"I don't see what's so funny," I hissed. "She said she was going to put me on _your_ plan." I'd thought it would stop his laughter, but it only made things worse. The handful of other people in the room turned to stare at us.

"Let her, then," he said finally, when he had calmed down. Professor Cleary walked in and opened his briefcase. "It would be nice to be able to talk to you any time I wanted to."

"You can do that now," I whispered, opening my notebook.

"Later," he promised, and the Prof started talking before I could answer him. I was hyper aware of him throughout the entire class, wondering if he was actually going to touch me like he'd said, but he never did. When class was finally over and everyone had begun to file out except for us, I closed my notebook and turned to him. Before I could get a word out, he leaned over and crushed his mouth against mine. I was surprised by the intensity of the kiss, but I returned it with as much enthusiasm as I could. When he pulled away moments later, I was breathless.

"What was that for?"

"You taunted me for the last hour."

"What? How did I-"

"You chewed on the end of your pen when you weren't writing – _every time _you weren't writing – and I'd just told you before class how much I like your mouth. You did it on purpose, just to torture me."

"I didn't realize I was doing it," I said honestly. I _hadn't_ realized it. How long had he been watching me to be able to say that I did it for the entire class? My cheeks warmed.

"Right," he said, laughing. "But as I was saying before, I would be more than happy to get you a cell phone."

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I know how expensive they are – and then you have to pay for the service monthly, and there's even more of a charge if you text or go over your minutes, and-"

"Consider it an early Christmas present."

"You don't think it's kind of – permanent?" I asked hesitantly. He froze, and then turned in his seat to look at me.

"I hadn't thought," he said, giving me a strange look. "If you don't-"

"What I meant to say is," I interrupted hurriedly, "just that I don't want you to feel obligated to me in any way if you decide that you don't want to see me anymore. I mean, obviously if that happened, I would give the phone back, but –"

"I don't foresee that happening," he said calmly, rising from his seat. The strange look was gone, and he was smirking at me. He slung his bag over his shoulder and when I stood up, he snaked an arm around my waist. "We can go pick one out now, if you'd like."

"You don't need to keep buying me things," I protested, distracted by the feel of his hand resting possessively on my hip. "I don't want you to think that I-"

"I don't think that you're spending time with me just to get things from me," he said, finishing my sentence. "If you were, you'd act like you enjoyed it a lot more." I rolled my eyes as he laughed at me. "You know, if you don't go get one that you like, Alice will just pick the most expensive one she can find for you."

And that's how forty-five minutes later, I was the reluctant owner of a new cell phone. I had insisted on paying for it myself, justifying the expense as something I needed to call my dad. After all, long distance would be free on it, so I could call him anytime I wanted to. Besides, it might be a good idea to have one in case of emergencies, though at the time I couldn't imagine what emergency might warrant one. I didn't have a car to break down, and the campus wasn't so big that I couldn't run somewhere for help if I needed it.

Edward immediately programmed my number into his speed dial, and then called Alice and gave her the number. His cell number was the first one on my new phone, followed by his apartment number, and then at Alice's insistence, her cell number, her pager number, and the main house's number. I added Angela's number and our room number, and then I called our room and left a message letting her know my new number. She'd be thrilled, no doubt.

We pulled into the driveway of his house before I realized that I hadn't even been paying attention to where we'd been going. I slid my new phone into my pocket and smiled at him. "What are we doing here?" He got out of the car and walked around to open my door. When I had gotten out and closed the door behind me, he placed a quick peck on my forehead.

"I thought I'd treat you to dinner," he said, grinning widely. "And didn't you say that we had a lot of space to cover?"

My heart leapt a little, and I fidgeted with the strap of my bag. "You want to-"

"Relax, Bella, I'm teasing. Well, only half teasing really, but still. We both have studying to do, I'm sure, and I don't know about you, but I'm starving – and I just figured that it would be nice to spend some time together while taking care of the various-" His voice died as I dropped my bag and wrapped my arms around his neck, drawing him closer to me.

"I wasn't trying to tell you that I didn't want to be with you," I said quietly, my eyes locked on his. "So you don't have to explain anything to me."

"You are far too tantalizing for your own good, do you know that?" he teased, his arms circling tightly around my waist. "How are we going to get any studying done?"

"We'll manage. We might have to get our touching out of the way first, but we'll manage." He laughed at that, and I smiled.

"You _think_ you're teasing me," he said, grinning. It was my turn to laugh, and I rested my cheek against his shoulder and let my eyes drift closed, enjoying just being near him. His arms tightened around me, and I shivered when I felt his thumb stroking the small of my back through my shirt. "I really did want to call you last night, you know. I wasn't lying about that."

"Why didn't you?" I murmured, trying to snuggle closer to him. We were still outside, so anyone who pulled into the driveway would be able to see us clearly, but I found that I didn't really care. His back was pressed up against the side of his car, and I was pressed (quite shamelessly) up against him.

"I had just taken you home and returned home myself – I didn't want you to think that I was some crazy obsessed person by calling you immediately afterwards. Besides, I figured you'd want some time to yourself."

"You can call me anytime you want, and I'll talk to you. It wouldn't bother me one bit," I said honestly. He dropped a kiss on my head and sighed. I raised my head to look at him. "Are you uncomfortable? Because I can-" I started to move away, but he held me tight and pretended to look outraged.

"Don't you dare! I've waited for this all day; I'm not going to let you go so easily now that I've got you right where I want you." I giggled and resumed my former position.

"You can keep me here as long as you want to." I swear my voice sounded almost like I was _purring!_

"Ah, don't say that – I may never take you back," he replied, his voice light. "So, what sounds good for dinner?"

"Food."

"Very funny," he said, though he laughed. "What specific kind of food?"

"The kind you eat."

"Bella," he groaned. I laughed.

"All right, all right. What are my choices?"

"Italian, Mexican, pizza-"

"Mexican."

"That does sound good, doesn't it? Shall we go in and order?"

"You mean move?" I pouted. He chuckled. "No, if it means moving, then forget the food. This is the happiest I've felt all day; I don't want to interrupt it." When he didn't reply, I pulled away slightly and looked at him. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, not wrong. I just- I was thinking the same thing, that this is the best I've felt all day." He lifted a hand to my face and stroked my cheek gently with his fingertips. I closed my eyes and savored the touch. "This could become a problem," he murmured.

"What do you mean?"

"If I only feel this way when I'm with you, I'm going to need frequent hits of your company."

I laughed and opened my eyes. "You make it sound like I'm a drug."

"You may as well be," he said, his eyes dancing though his voice was serious. "I can already tell that I'm in the beginning throes of addiction. Tell me, Bella – are you a very hard habit to break?" I rolled my eyes.

"Edward, quit teasing," I said, placing a quick kiss on his lips. I pulled away and smiled at him – though it scared me that I actually felt what he'd voiced. I was already hopelessly addicted to him; it was too much to think that he felt the same way about me. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, a shrill beeping noise filled the air. I frowned and glanced around, looking for the source. He laughed.

"Your phone," he explained. I sighed and pulled it out, wondering already if it hadn't been a gigantic mistake to get the stupid thing. He peered over at it as I flipped it open.

_Good 4 you – glad I can call U N E time now! U with E? Don't do N E thing I wouldn't do! Luv A._

I frowned. "A? Like I can distinguish between Alice and Angela!" I huffed. Edward laughed.

"It has to be from Angela – Alice doesn't like netspeak in her texts."

"Oh." I closed the phone and shoved it back into my pocket, and he reached for my hand.

"Let's go order dinner. I really am starving."

An hour and a half later, after gorging ourselves on some really excellent Mexican take-out, we were sitting on his couch, exhausted. I had skipped lunch and was embarrassed by the amount of food I'd consumed, and I realized that this time he'd paid for my dinner without any argument from me, even though it was technically my turn to pay. I was going to have to take him out soon. I smiled at the thought.

"What's so funny?" He asked, reaching for my hand. I looked over at him and felt my cheeks heat up – I was remembering the previous night, and our activities on this same couch.

"I was just thinking that it's my turn to take _you_ out on a date."

"Oh?" He smiled brightly.

"You'd still have to drive, but I would pay for everything," I clarified. He chuckled.

"So are you actually asking me out?"

"Yes."

"For what day?"

"Friday?" I asked uncertainly.

"Why not Thursday?"

"Alice is making me go dancing with her," I said, distaste obvious in my voice. He gaped for a moment.

"Dancing?"

"Yes. She wants to take me to some club she likes. Angela's going, too."

"Just the three of you?" He frowned.

"Yes. Why?" His frown deepened. "Edward, what's wrong?"

"It just makes me … _uncomfortable_ to think about you in a club," he admitted.

"Why? I mean, I know I'm painfully uncoordinated, but I don't plan on actually dancing, if I can help it."

"It's not that," he said, shaking his head. He moved closer to me, turning his whole body to face me. I mirrored his movements so that I was facing him, too. "I just hate the thought of all those men hitting on you, and me not being there to hit them back." I felt my mouth drop open, and then before I could stop myself, I burst into raucous laughter. His eyebrows shot up. "Why is that funny?"

"Edward number six," I gasped through my giggles. "Jealous Edward." He grinned at me, even though the color was high on his cheeks. Oh, jealous Edward was _adorable_. I loved him already. The thought that someone could be jealous over _me_ – it thrilled me.

"I was worried you'd think I was being overly possessive," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. I shook my head.

"I like it." My giggles subsided a bit. "Besides, I would be jealous if I had to watch some beautiful girl hit on you." I thought for a moment. "Any girl, actually."

"I believe I would like to see jealous Bella," he breathed, inching even closer.

"You want to make me jealous?" I asked incredulously. "But I thought you _liked_ me."

"I do like you."

"Then why would you be so mean as to try and make me jealous on purpose?" I pouted playfully. He moved closer, and then I realized that his gaze was locked on my mouth. My heart felt as though I'd just run a marathon, it was beating so fast.

He didn't answer, and I watched as he moved so close that I could feel his breath on my face. Then his hands were on my cheeks, pulling me close enough so that there was no distance between us anymore, and our mouths were barely touching.

"Bella, I-" He began. I never found out what he was going to say, because suddenly our mouths were fused together. He nibbled gently on my lower lip, and I opened my mouth to allow him access. Our tongues moved together slowly, and I could feel myself starting to tremble. His hands dropped away from my cheeks, and then I felt them on my waist. It would have been an understatement to say that I was surprised when he pulled me forward and situated me on his lap, much the same way I had done last night. I whimpered into his mouth, and he moaned in response.

I had no idea how to react to this situation. The night before, he'd stopped me, saying that he didn't want to ruin what we were building, but this time it had been _him_ who'd initiated contact. Did I push like I had been last night, or let him lead? His mouth moved away from mine, and he began kissing the sensitive spot just below my ear.

"Edward," I whispered, arching my neck to allow him better access, "Don't take this the wrong way, but – what are you doing?"

"Hmm?" He kissed down my neck, grazing my skin lightly with his teeth. I gripped his shoulders tightly, digging my fingers into him through his shirt.

"You stopped me from doing this last night," I pointed out breathlessly. "Has something changed?"

"No," he said, his breath tickling the moist skin of my throat. "I stopped you from taking your clothes off. This is different. We are both fully clothed, and I've been thinking about what you said."

"Which was?" I asked, taking in a sharp breath when he sucked gently on the part of my collarbone that was exposed.

"A lot of things can be done through clothes." I suddenly felt feverish. "I laid awake half the night thinking about all the ways I could have touched you, and didn't. I won't be making the same mistake again." He slid his hands down and squeezed me gently through my jeans. I gasped and arched my back, trying to press closer to him. He groaned and nipped at my collarbone. "You have no idea how much I want you."

"I'm yours," I whispered, tangling my fingers in his hair. His right hand moved and began sliding up my side.

"You can't imagine how wonderful that sounds." His hand inched upward so slowly, I felt like I was going to explode from the anticipation. He pressed a kiss to the hollow at the base of my throat. His thumb grazed the side of my breast, and I hummed with pleasure as I tried to press closer to him. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Ignore them," I pleaded, even though he'd shown no signs of stopping what he was doing. His thumb brushed the underside of my breast, and I fisted my hands in his hair. He growled and attacked my neck with his mouth. At some point I was aware that he was sucking pretty hard on my skin, but it felt so good that I couldn't bring myself to care. Another knock came then, more insistent this time.

"Come on, Edward, I know you're in there!" A male voice boomed. Edward detached his mouth from my neck and glared at the door. "If you don't open the door, I'll go back to the house and get the spare key!"

"I can't apologize enough for this," Edward said, gently pushing me off of his lap. He stood up and ran a shaky hand through his hair before opening the door. "What is so important that you feel the need to break in, Emmett?"

I peered over the back of the couch at the burly guy standing in the doorway. _This_ was Emmett, the other triplet? He was huge! And he was staring at Edward as though he was from another planet.

"Dude, were you asleep?"

"No, Emmett." Edward sounded extremely annoyed. "What do you want?" Emmett blinked, and then looked into the apartment. When his eyes met mine, I offered him a sheepish smile. His face lit up.

"Edward!" He clapped his brother on the shoulder, and then pushed past him to come into the apartment.

"Won't you come in," Edward said dryly, closing the door.

"Let me guess – you must be Bella." I nodded and held my hand out. Instead of taking it, he wrapped me in a bear hug so tight that I could barely breathe.

"How did you-" Edward began.

"Alice told me. Hey," he said, releasing me and turning to his brother. "I wanted to know if I could borrow a CD."

"Which one?" Edward asked, arching an eyebrow. "Never mind – just take what you need and go." Emmett gave him a strange look, and then shrugged.

"Cool." He began looking through the CDs, and Edward mouthed the word _sorry_ behind his back. I shook my head as I smiled at him, and then I bit my lip. His lips parted slightly. His reaction only made me want to antagonize him more, so I darted my tongue out to moisten my lips. He gripped the back of the couch so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Got it," Emmett said triumphantly, pulling a CD out and holding it up for us to see. His eyes fell on Edward, and he frowned. "You okay, Ed?"

"Don't call me Ed," Edward said, shaking his head. "I'm fine."

"Hey, I can take a hint." Emmett headed towards the door, nodding at me as he left. "Nice to meet you. See you later, bro."

Edward waited until Emmett had closed the door behind him, and then he was standing in front of me so quickly that I had barely enough time to register the fact that he'd moved. "That was completely unfair."

"What?" I asked innocently, batting my eyes at him. He laughed and sat down beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him and sighed.

"I hope I didn't push my luck tonight," he said softly, rubbing my shoulder.

"I don't think you pushed it enough." He laughed. "In fact-"

"You wouldn't mind if I pushed it some more right now," he finished for me. I pouted, and he chuckled again.

"How did you know what I was going to say?"

"I can read your mind." He was laughing a little harder now. I arched an eyebrow at him.

"Oh yeah? Then what am I thinking right now?"

He eyed me for a moment, feigning concentration, and then smiled. "You are thinking about how much you want to ravish me."

"That's a given – it doesn't count! What else am I thinking?" I rested my right hand on his left thigh just above his knee, and he stiffened.

"Bella, I don't-"

"I'm not going to move my hand up, if that's what you're worried about," I huffed. He relaxed a little bit. "It would be nice to be able to touch you, too, though."

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"Unless you don't like it when I touch you," I countered. He removed the arm from around my shoulders and placed his hand on top of mine, holding it in place.

"You have no idea how much I like it."

"Then stop freaking out when I do it," I ordered. Then I added, "Please."

"I promise," he swore, squeezing my hand. I leaned against him and rested my head on his shoulder, and we stayed that way for a few minutes. "Are you tired, my Bella?"

_My Bella._ It was scary how much I loved the sound of that. I sighed contentedly.

"I could go for a nap."

"It's nearly seven o'clock," he said, laughing. "If you take a nap now, will you be able to sleep tonight?"

"Yes, _father_," I said, rolling my eyes. He laughed harder.

"Don't you have reading you need to do?"

"Yes, but I'll do it tomorrow. Right now I'm too tired. It's been a long day." I didn't tell him that it was difficult to concentrate on other things when he was so close to me.

"Shall I take you home, then?" He asked, the disappointment evident in his voice.

"As much as I want to say no, probably. Otherwise I might fall asleep here, and I don't think you're prepared to deal with my hair after I've been asleep." He grinned.

"Now I really want to see it. You should stay."

"Edward," I laughed, giving him a gentle shove.

"All right. I'll take you home, but only on the condition that I can see you again tomorrow."

"I think I can handle that." He leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to my lips, and then stood up, extending a hand to help me up. I took it, and smoothed out the front of my shirt. When I looked up, he was smirking at me. "What?"

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head. He picked up my messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder before grabbing his car keys. "Ready?"

We rode back to campus in relative silence, just enjoying each other's company. It was nice being able to be with him and not feel pressured to talk. When we pulled up to the dorm, he started to get out, but I stopped him.

"You don't have to walk me in. Just kiss me here."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, chuckling. He leaned forward and placed a light kiss on my cheek. "See you tomorrow?"

"We might run into each other," I said, shrugging. He laughed again. He was in such a good mood that I hated to get out of the car. "Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow." I got out of the car and shut the door, waving as I walked away.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

When I got upstairs, Angela wasn't there. I changed into my pajamas, chose my outfit for the following day (my comfortable jeans paired with an old royal blue t-shirt and my converse), and laid down with a book. I had read half a page when I heard my cell phone beep. I grabbed it off of the shelf and flipped it open. It was from Edward.

_Miss you already._

I was glad he couldn't see my stupid smile as I typed in a message for him.

_Miss you too._

I didn't have to wait long for him to answer. I wondered I text messaging when raged me to get unlimited text messaging when I'd gotten the phone, and the thought made me laugh.

_What are you wearing? Kidding!_

_You were so not kidding, you pervert. I am in my pajamas, if you must know. What are you wearing, a 3 pc suit?_

_You're funny. In pjs as well._

_So your idea of fun is text-messaging me while I'm in bed?_

_You're already in bed?_

_I told you I was tired._

_I wasn't kidding. You could have stayed here. I'm intrigued now; I want to see your hair after you've slept._

_Why are you sending me texts? Why can't you just call? This is starting to hurt my fingers._

I waited for him to answer me, but I was surprised when the phone rang. I flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Is Angela not there?"

"No, she hasn't been here since I got back."

"I'm guessing you're not going to be a big fan of text messaging," he said. He sounded very amused.

"No. It hurts my fingers. The keys are too small."

"I told you to get the phone with the full keyboard. It would have been so much easier with that one."

"I don't plan on using that feature very much," I replied, pulling at a loose thread on my comforter.

"Well, it's nice to be able to talk to you just the same."

"Why didn't you just call me in the first place?"

"I didn't want the sound of the ringing to bother Angela."

"And the little beeps from the messages wouldn't bother her?" I pointed out. He laughed.

"You're right."

"What are you doing that you're bored enough to send me a billion text messages?"

"It wasn't a billion," he said defensively. He was quiet for a moment. "I was listening to the CD you made me."

"Oh?" My heart sped up. He didn't know that I fell asleep to his CD on my iPod. The whole CD was now a playlist simply titled "Edward."

"I really like it."

"I like yours, too."

"Have you actually listened to it all the way through?" he teased. I giggled.

"Yes. At least four times."

"That's it?"

"Why? How many times have you listened to mine?"

"I've lost count."

"Right. Whatever."

"I'm being honest, Bella. I've listened to it a lot."

"Really?"

"I told you, I really like it. Our tastes are so similar, I think I'd be hard-pressed to find something of yours that I _didn't_ like."

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"I think by asking me if you can ask me something, you've asked me something." He laughed. "But go ahead. You can ask me anything you want."

"Does this all seem a little strange to you? I mean, we've only known each other for a week, and I already l-" I stopped myself. Was I really going to tell him that I loved him? Did I feel that strongly already? I'd never been in love before, so how would I even know what it felt like? "I already like you a lot more than I've ever liked anyone else."

"Yes, it does seem strange to me," he admitted. I lay back on my bed and stared at the ceiling, and imagined that he was doing the same. "But I've never felt so strongly about anyone else, either. To be perfectly honest, I didn't know I _could_ feel this way." I was too busy smiling and feeling generally elated to reply, and he noticed. "Are you still there?"

"I'm still here."

"Is something wrong? Did Angela come back?"

"No, everything is fine. I was just pondering your statement." He chuckled.

"So, would it be usurping too much of your time if I asked to meet you for breakfast tomorrow?"

"I don't think it would be, no."

"Is that a yes?"

"Emphatically."

"Good word," he said, laughing. "Now it's my turn to ask you a question."

"Shoot."

"Would it sound too needy if I told you that I can't wait to see you again?"

"A little."

"Really?"

"No, I was kidding. It feels nice that you want to spend time with me, and believe me, the sentiment is more than returned."

"So I'm not the only needy person in this relationship." Just like the first time he'd said it, my heart leapt. "I'm realizing that I don't know some crucial things about you."

"Like what?"

"When's your birthday?"

"Next month."

"That's hardly specific enough," he complained.

"I don't want you to feel like you need to buy me something, so I'm not going to tell you."

"I'll just settle for buying you something every day in September, then."

"Blackmailer," I accused. He laughed. I tried to change the subject. "So what time should I expect you tomorrow?"

"Seven."

"Oh, ugh. That early? Really?"

"What time do you normally eat breakfast, then?"

"Not that early!"

"How about eight?"

"That's better, but not much." He laughed.

"If you're not completely against the idea, I would love to spend some more time with you tomorrow."

"Edward, I'm not completely against anything where you are concerned." I bit the inside of my cheek after I'd said it – sometimes my mouth didn't consult my brain before it moved.

"Now I'm _really_ wishing I'd kept you here."

"I'm yours whenever you want me, you know." Apparently my brain was refusing to filter my conversation tonight. I bit my lip hard.

"You'd better stop that, or I'm going to come and pick you up," he threatened.

"Stop what?"

"The way you're talking to me. Does the phone make you more comfortable?"

"Um… I guess." Sure, let's go with that. "Actually I think it's just because I'm so tired and it's easier for me to ramble and blurt things out before I think about it."

"I think I'm going to make a habit of calling you every night before bed then."

"Very funny. I'll try to censor myself."

"Please don't. I like it."

"I can say all of these things to you when I'm with you."

"Yes, but then I want to kiss you, and you can't talk when I'm doing that."

"So you'd rather talk to me on the phone than be with me in person? That hurts, Edward."

"You know I didn't mean it that way."

"Do you really wish you'd let me stay?"

"Absolutely."

"Does that mean that you want me to stay overnight sometime in the future?"

"You already know I do."

"Are we talking about the same thing?"

"I don't know – are we?"

"Tell me what you mean, and I'll tell you."

"I would love to have you stay overnight soon – just to sleep, though, for now."

"Okay. That's what I was thinking you meant."

"Is that something that you would want to do?"

"Sleep there?"

"Yes."

"You're a little old to be having sleepovers, aren't you?" I teased. He laughed.

"Not when they're co-ed."

"Yes, it is something I would like very much. How would we work out the sleeping arrangements?"

"I could sleep on the sofa."

"That far away?"

"Where do you suggest I sleep?"

"Where do you think I want you to sleep?"

"Don't answer a question with a question."

"You already know the answer, so it doesn't matter that I did."

"Do you really think we could be in the same bed without being intimate?"

"No, but I think we could be in the same bed without having sex."

"That's an interesting theory."

"Want to try it out?"

"I'd be more than happy to."

"Okay."

"When do you want to do this?"

"It's your apartment and your bed I'll be invading, so you tell me."

"Thursday night?"

"You mean after I go with Alice?"

"Yes. That way you can just ride home with her, and since we're already going out Friday, you can just stay here." My stomach was doing wild flip-flops. A whole night alone with him in a bed? My knees felt weak just thinking about it.

"I talk in my sleep," I blurted. He laughed.

"That should make it interesting, then."

"It won't keep you awake?"

"If it does, I'll just put some duct tape over your mouth."

"I can think of a better way to shut me up." There was silence on the other end, and I wondered if I'd pushed too hard.

"You're going to be the death of me." His voice was husky now, and the sound of it made me shiver.

"But it will be such a fun death," I teased.

"Have you finished your CD yet?"

"Actually…" I glanced over at the jewel case on my dresser. "Yes."

"What?" He sounded extremely surprised. "You told me you were only partially finished."

"I may have exaggerated just a tiny bit when I said that."

"What did you not have finished?"

"I hadn't taken it out of my computer yet."

"Are you going to give it to me tomorrow?"

I laughed. "Nice choice of words, Edward." I could tell when it clicked for him, because he started laughing, too.

"Walked right into that one, didn't I?"

"Yes, I will give it to you tomorrow."

"I can't wait."

"You have to promise you won't listen to it while you're around me, though."

"Why?"

"I don't want to be there the first time you hear it, just in case you hate it."

"I'm sure I won't."

"Still."

"All right, I won't listen to it until I'm away from you."

"Good. I'm going to go ahead and let you go now – I really am tired, and now I know I have to get up early to meet some guy for breakfast."

He laughed. "Sweet dreams, my Bella."

"Sweet dreams, Edward." I waited until he hung up, and then I closed the phone. I think I was still wearing my goofy smile when I finally fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note:**__ This end of this chapter is mostly done via text messages. Also, you'll notice from the playlist that Bella's style is extremely aggressive – this is on purpose. I feel that this is very in character for her, since in the books she was always the one who pushed for a physical relationship, and Edward always resisted. He's the more romantic, take-it-slow type, I think. I have a link to download the entire playlist. If you want it, send an email to me (my email is displayed on my author page). And happy new year!_

**Chapter Ten**

_**Bella's POV**_

I grumbled as the shrill noise of the alarm clock woke me from a particularly pleasant dream about Edward. I smacked it with less violence than it deserved, and sat up to rub my eyes.

"You don't have class this early," Angela muttered from her side of the room. "Why are you awake already?"

"Edward's coming to take me to breakfast."

"How romantic," she said through a yawn. "Have fun." She turned her back to me and tried to go back to sleep.

"Oh, no," I said, sitting cross-legged on my bed, facing her direction. "You don't get off that easy. Where were you last night? I got home around seven thirty and went to sleep at nine, and you still hadn't come back!"

"I was with Ben."

"He called and asked you out?"

"Yes." Another yawn. "And he was amazing. He is the best kisser in the entire world." I begged to differ, but I didn't say anything. "We're going out again on Friday. How was your night with Eddie?" She sat up and turned to look at me. Suddenly her eyes widened and she gasped.

"What?"

"You had fun, would be my guess," she said wickedly. I blinked.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

She lifted a slender finger and gestured towards me. "Look in the mirror." My mouth dropped as realization sunk in, and I jumped off of the bed. I stared at the purple mark in the mirror. It was the first hickey I'd ever gotten, and the blood rushed to my face as I recalled how I'd gotten it. Then it hit me that that was probably why he'd smirked at me before he'd taken me home – he'd _seen _it.

"You must have had a _lot_ of fun." I didn't answer her; instead I grabbed my phone and sent a text message to Edward. I would have called, but I didn't know if he was awake yet or not – it was only seven o'clock, after all.

_You are in SO much trouble._

He must've moved my shirt aside some to have done it, since I didn't notice it last night. The pajamas that I wore consisted of sweatpants and an old ratty tank top that had spaghetti straps – which was why the mark was visible now. My phone beeped, and Angela giggled as I read his message.

_It was worth it. Good morning, by the way. _

So he'd been waiting for me to find it? The thought made me laugh despite the shock I felt. I was going to have to get him back.

_This won't go unpunished. You've been a very bad boy._

I laughed, and Angela giggled. I turned to look at her. "What?"

"Text messages are fun, aren't they? Now aren't you glad you got a cell phone?"

_Promise? That's another fantasy of mine, you know – schoolteacher and her naughty pupil. Kidding. Sort of._

I giggled. Angela rolled her eyes. "I can't watch this. I'm going to go take a shower, since I'm already awake."

_I promise you'll get what's coming to you. And good morning to you, too._

_If we keep this up, we will not leave my apartment today._

_Promise?_ I giggled insanely. This messaging thing might be more fun than I'd thought, if I could manage to get used to the way it felt on my fingers. They were starting to hurt again already. I jumped a little when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"I'm in the car." His voice was still thick with sleep, and I laughed.

"I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"I was tossing and turning," he admitted. "Are you ready to go?"

"Not quite – I was going to get dressed when I noticed the gift you left me."

"I made sure that I did it somewhere it could be hidden. What are you wearing that you saw it so easily?"

"My pajamas."

"I think I'm beginning to look very forward to Thursday night. Do I get to see these pajamas?"

"Absolutely not. I'm going to have to go out and buy some new _decent_ pajamas to wear in front of you." I held the phone between my cheek and shoulder as I tugged my pants off and grabbed my jeans. "Or I could just wear something that Alice got me on Sunday."

"I'm sure that whatever you wear will look great – on my bedroom floor."

"Edward!" I gasped, laughing in surprise. "Why do you tease me like this? You know you don't mean it!"

"I mean it enough," he replied, chuckling. "I may not mean it for the immediate future, but I _do_ mean it. I'm almost there. Are you ready now?"

"Hold on a second." I put the phone down long enough to pull off the tank top and tug my t-shirt over my head. I put the phone back in its previous position as I pulled my shoes on. "I'm back."

"See? The cell phone was a brilliant purchase. If you didn't have it, we wouldn't be having so much fun right now."

"I guess I can sort of see your point," I conceded.

"You sound out of breath. What are you doing?"

"It's difficult to get dressed while you're talking on the phone." There was a moment of silence, and I heard him suck in a breath.

"You've been undressing while you've been talking to me?"

"How else am I going to be ready when you get here?" He groaned as I pulled a brush roughly through my hair.

"Forget breakfast. We'll go straight back to my place."

"Why wait? You have a nice, shiny Volvo with a very comfortable-looking backseat."

"Stop that!" He laughed.

"What? You started it!"

"Now I'm going to start having fantasies about you in my car."

"You mean you haven't been already? I've been thinking about doing things to you in your car since the first time you kissed me in it."

"Crap." His voice cracked, and I bit my lip. "I'm in the parking lot. Hurry up and get down here."

"Fine, bossy," I teased. I hung up the phone and grabbed my keys. I didn't need any books for choir, so I left my bag on my desk. I scribbled a quick note to Angela and ran out the door, bounding down the stairs. I ran to the car and jumped in before he could get out to open the door for me. I leaned over and grabbed the back of his neck with one hand, pulling him closer so I could ravish his mouth with my own. When I pulled away, he whimpered a little bit.

"Why did you stop?"

"I'm hungry, and I believe you promised me breakfast. It's the least you can do to compensate for this," I said, tugging the neck of my t-shirt to the side. His eyes moved to the mark he'd left on me, and an epic smirk appeared on his face. I smacked his arm lightly. "You _like_ it!"

"I love it," he corrected, smiling as he pulled out of the parking lot. "But if you don't like it, I won't do it again."

"I don't mind it," I said honestly. "As long as it's not hard to cover up."

"Be careful what you say to me," he cautioned. "I liked doing it so much that I'm looking quite forward to doing it again - _many_ more times." I looked out the window and bit my lip to hide my smile. "I can still see you doing that. When I stop driving, I'm going to have to kiss you."

"Oh, _woe_," I said, rolling my eyes. "That's so upsetting to me." He laughed.

"Are you always this feisty in the mornings?"

"Only when you're involved." He shook his head and continued to smile.

"I should have made you stay last night."

"Are you kidding? We wouldn't have made it through our conversation."

"Probably not," he conceded, pulling the car into the parking lot of the restaurant. When he had parked and turned the car off, he turned to me. "I believe I owe you something."

"Lay it on me." I laughed, and he grinned as he leaned forward and caught my mouth with his. Our mouths moved in sync, and suddenly it felt like the air in the car that surrounded us was crackling with electricity. His mouth was still moving against mine when I felt his hand gripping the hem of my t-shirt. I reached over and squeezed his knee gently, and his hand moved under my shirt, barely touching the skin of my side.

I touched my tongue to his mouth, and he opened himself to me immediately. As our tongues slid together, his hand moved up, until his thumb was brushing the underside of my breast. I arched into his touch, hoping for something more substantial. He surprised me by lightly cupping my breast over my bra, and I moaned at the sensation of his warm hand. His kiss became rougher, and I responded eagerly. When his thumb moved over my nipple, I moved my hand up his leg. I squeezed the inside of his upper thigh gently, and he whimpered.

"God, Bella," he moaned, pulling away from me slightly. He rested his forehead against mine. "I'm ready to take you right here."

"Which means that we're finished, right?" I asked, disappointment flooding through me.

"For right now," he agreed, withdrawing his hand. I groaned unhappily, and he chuckled. "I told you, I'm going to take my time with you – and it will _not_ happen in a car." I pulled my hand away from his leg and smoothed out the front of my t-shirt.

"Not the first time, maybe," I mumbled. He laughed in surprise.

"Why don't we go get something to eat, and then we'll decide what we want to do today."

"I know what I want to do already," I said, biting down gently on my lip. He exhaled softly.

"You like to test my self-control, don't you?"

"You like being tested, otherwise you'd never allow it."

"Touché." He got out of the car and came around to open my door for me. "Hungry?"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

We had taken our time and had a leisurely breakfast, which I hated to admit that I had thoroughly enjoyed (I was not a morning person by _any_ stretch of the imagination), and then we went back to campus, and headed off to our individual classes. About forty-five minutes after mine was over, he found me in the gazebo we'd taken refuge from the rain in.

"You got out early? That's so not fair."

He laughed. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes. Where are we going?"

"Anywhere you want to go."

"Your apartment?" I asked hopefully. He laughed again.

"Did we start something this morning?"

"Yes, and I'd like the chance to finish it." I giggled at the expression on his face, and decided it was the right time. "By the way, I left your CD in your car."

"You did?" He grabbed my hand and helped me up, and then started tugging me towards the parking lot. I laughed.

"I dropped it on the floor when I kissed you earlier." His steps quickened, and I giggled. "Edward, why are we running?"

"I want it," he said, barely looking at me. "I am dying of curiosity."

"You can't listen to it when I'm with you," I protested. "You promised, remember?"

"Don't you have track names written on it?" he asked, his steps slowing. I shook my head no.

"That would be cheating."

"Can you email me the track listing?"

"I guess that's okay," I said, mock-frowning. He grinned. "But I don't have your email address."

"I'll write it down for you before I take you home tonight." We got into the car, and he drove back to his apartment. I was beginning to recognize landmarks now, I realized. He held the CD in his hand the entire way to his home, and only put it down once we were inside his apartment. He laid it on the small nightstand on the side of his bed. Seeing his bed made me realize how tired I was; I wasn't used to getting up as early as I had today. He caught me yawning, and he smiled at me.

"Tired?"

"A little," I admitted, shrugging.

"Want to take a nap with me?" I watched him as he removed the button-down shirt he'd been wearing, revealing a plain white t-shirt that he was wearing underneath.

"Yes," was all I could manage. I kicked off my shoes and watched as he did the same, and then he laid down on the bed and held his arms out for me. I went into them and snuggled as close to him as I could get, resting my head on his chest.

"This is even better than I'd imagined it would be," he murmured, lifting his hand to smooth my hair away from my face. I gave a small hum of contentment and closed my eyes. I must have fallen asleep pretty quickly, because the next time I opened my eyes, the sunlight was coursing through the windows at a different angle. I blinked several times and stretched. Edward's arm was draped over my waist, and his front was pressed against my back. I bit back a laugh when I felt his breath tickle my neck.

"Are you awake?" he asked softly.

"Yes." He nuzzled his face into my hair.

"We need to sleep together more often."

"What?" I laughed.

"You are absolutely _fascinating_ when you sleep."

"Oh my god," I breathed, rubbing my face tiredly. "What did I say?"

"Not a lot," he said, trying to placate me. It didn't work.

"Edward," I said threateningly. He laughed.

"You said something about a boyfriend."

"That's it?"

"No, but that's probably what you would have the most cause to be embarrassed about," he guessed. "So, who's this boyfriend character? Do I need to be worried?" I snorted.

"Hardly. I don't-" I stopped myself. I'd been about to say I didn't have a boyfriend – but I realized that I had been thinking of Edward as one. "Um." I was a brilliant conversationalist. He pressed a kiss to the back of my neck.

"Were you talking about me?"

"Um." I wasn't sure what to say. I didn't want to say yes if it wasn't what he wanted to hear, but at the same time, I didn't want to say no. His arm tightened around me and he brushed my hair away to kiss my neck again. I shivered. "There's no one else I'm interested in besides you, Edward." And the way I was feeling right now, I was pretty sure there wouldn't be anyone else that I'd ever be interested in like this again. At least, I hoped not. So far, Edward was everything I'd ever wanted in a man. Then again, I tended to romanticize things quite a bit – no, even with that in mind, Edward was perfect for me. His voice broke into my thoughts.

"So I'm your boyfriend?" I could hear the smile in his voice. Was he amused because it sounded juvenile, or was he happy about it? I couldn't tell. We'd made a point of being honest so far, and I didn't want to mess that up. I took a deep breath.

"Would it upset you if I thought of you that way?"

"Bella, would you turn around and look at me, please?" I turned and faced him, moving my body so that I was lying on my left side. There was a gap two inches wide between our bodies now. He reached out and tugged at my hip, urging me forward. I complied, and then we were so close that our chests were touching. He propped his head up on his right hand, and his left hand rested on my hip. I closed my eyes for a moment when I felt his thumb stroke the exposed skin just above the waistline of my jeans.

My eyes met his. "I don't know why you would think it bothers me. I've never heard anything sound so brilliant in my entire life."

"Oh," I breathed, so happy that I was apparently rendered speechless. He seemed to be doing that to me a lot lately. I smiled at him, and he squeezed my hip gently.

"Does that mean that I get to tell people that you're my girlfriend?"

"Yes," I breathed. "Alice seems to be doing that for you already, though." He chuckled. "Are you sure that I didn't say anything else while I was sleeping?"

"Nothing I could really make out clearly," he reassured me. I relaxed a little bit, and he smiled. "I have to be honest with you. I knew I would like seeing you in my bed, but I didn't realize _how much_ I would like it." I giggled and snuggled closer to him, resting my forehead against his chest.

"Well, I like being here." We were silent for a few minutes, just lying on his bed in each other's arms. I yawned. "What time is it?"

"It's almost three," he answered, moving his hand to rub my arm lightly.

"I slept for over two hours? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You looked too peaceful to disturb. Besides, the longer you slept, the more I got to hear you talk."

"But you said I didn't talk a lot."

"No, I said that you didn't say a lot that I could make out clearly," he corrected gently. I sighed. "And after this, I am really looking forward to Thursday night." I groaned.

"Maybe I can take some cold medicine to knock me out," I grumbled. He laughed.

"Don't you dare. I liked hearing you talk. Speaking of which, maybe we should make this something we do every Tuesday."

"What's that?"

"This napping together. I like it – a _lot_."

"Mm," I hummed, closing my eyes as his hand moved to rub my back. He dipped his head down to place feather-light kisses to the shell of my ear, and I shivered. His laugh rumbled in his chest. "I could definitely get used to this." My traitorous stomach chose that moment to growl, and his laughter bubbled over.

"We slept through lunch."

"You mean _I_ slept through lunch," I corrected him. I moved away from him reluctantly, and rolled onto my back so I could stretch properly. As soon as I had stretched my arms above my head, he had moved so that his knees were on either side of mine, and his hands were pinning mine down to the bed. I opened my eyes wide and stared at his face above mine. His lips were turned up in a smirk.

"Now I have you right where I want you." It took me a minute to find my voice, and even then I wasn't sure he'd be able to hear me over the deafening pounding of my heart.

"But you won't do anything with me," I challenged.

"Who says?"

"Sexually repressed Edward says," I teased. He laughed.

"You're so sure of yourself. Where was sexually repressed Edward last night when I was giving you that little surprise?" He nodded in the general area of the hickey, and I smiled.

"I don't know, but I'd be happy if he stayed gone for a few hours _every_ time we were together. I wouldn't mind being able to have my wicked way with you."

"I _almost_ hate to point this out, but _you're_ the one who's restrained right now. You're at my mercy, so I believe it would be me having my wicked way with you."

"You _have _no wicked way," I shot back, giggling. He laughed again and dropped a quick kiss on my lips before releasing me. "See? I was right." He reached over me and grabbed the CD I'd made him from the nightstand, waving it tauntingly in front of me.

"I'd be willing to bet I could have my way with you if I put this on."

"You wouldn't dare – you promised!"

"All's fair in love and war," he answered, opening the jewel case. I lunged for it, and he jerked it out of my reach.

"I'll take it back," I swore.

"Not if you can't get it away from me, you won't."

"You know," I said, smiling at him, "this feels very familiar. You like playing keep away, don't you?" He laughed, no doubt remembering the scene in my dorm room.

"I like anything that involves you."

"Hey, flattery won't distract me!" I cried, lunging for the CD again. I wasn't sure how it happened, but somehow I ended up in his lap, wrapped in his arms again.

"I know; you already told me how I needed to distract you."

"Is this why you like the keep away?" I asked breathlessly, stroking the back of his neck. "Because we always wind up like this?"

"I think that's a safe assumption." He leaned forward so that our noses were barely touching, and his breath tickled my lips. I closed my eyes and waited for our mouths to meet. When they finally did, I sighed with pleasure. He caught my lower lip between his and sucked lightly before releasing it, and then he did it again, over and over. I shifted against him in an attempt to get closer, and he moaned. He nipped at my mouth with his teeth – and then my stomach let out an embarrassingly loud noise. Our mouths were still joined as we both laughed, which was an oddly enjoyable sensation. "Why don't we go get some lunch?"

"That sounds good," I agreed, pulling away from him. "My treat this time." He watched me get off of the bed and stretch, and he nodded.

"Okay." Something in the way he said it made me turn around to look at him fully. He was giving me a very strange look.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me chauvinistic Edward is going to make an appearance – girls can pay for things, too, you know." His mouth curved into a soft smile, and my heart did crazy somersaults.

"Nothing is wrong. I was just thinking about how amazing you are." I felt the blush rise in my cheeks. "And don't say you're not. I say you are, and that's final."

"You're sweet. Now get up so we can go eat." He laughed, but he got up.

"Yes ma'am." I grabbed a pillow off of his bed and tossed it at him.

"Shut up," I said, laughing. "I still owe you one, remember?"

"And I am eagerly awaiting my punishment." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at me, and I laughed harder.

"I never punish anyone on an empty stomach."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get you fed."

_**Edward's POV**_

Everything seemed to flow so naturally with Bella. We'd had lunch together before making a spur of the moment decision to go see a movie. Of course, I hadn't been able to keep my hands to myself, which had elicited frequent giggles from her and earned us dirty looks from the other theater patrons. Afterwards I took her home – she'd insisted that she needed to get some schoolwork done, otherwise I probably would have coaxed her into staying with me. When I got back home, the CD she'd made me taunted me from where it rested on my nightstand. I grabbed it and put it in my CD player, pushed play, and laid back on my bed to listen. If the first half of the first song was any indication, I realized that Bella's CD was going to be extremely aggressive. The thought made me smile.

Obviously the first song had been chosen because of the lyrics. It didn't get much plainer than "do it to me now." I smiled. Did she think about me when she was listening to these songs? Or were they just songs that got her in the mood when she heard them? The songs I was putting on the CD to give to her were ones that covered both of those bases. The first song faded into the second, which was just as aggressive lyrically.

It was funny to think of my Bella being so overtly sexual with this CD. I knew it was what we'd decided to do, but it was still a surprise to me, considering how sweet she was when we were together. I let my mind wander, and the thought occurred to me that it was possible that she'd be the aggressor in bed, too. My body reacted immediately to that thought, and I sighed. I wasn't going to be able to hold myself off much longer if I kept thinking things like that. My resistance was crumbling more and more every time I kissed her, anyway.

The third song was interrupted when my cell phone beeped at me. I could feel the grin splitting my face as I picked it up.

_Are you listening to the CD yet?_

_I'm on the third song. _

_Thoughts so far?_

_Very sexy. Very you._

_Missing me yet? lol _

_If you only knew. Are you finished with your reading? I could come and get you. _She must be text-messaging me because she was too embarrassed to talk to me on the phone while I was listening to the CD she'd made. The thought made me laugh. Her next message quelled the laughter and made me _really_ want to go and pick her up.

_In the mood?_

_Aren't you?_

_I always am. S.R.E. going to be gone Thursday night?_ I frowned. SRE? What was that? I thought for a moment, and when it finally registered, I threw my head back and laughed loudly.

_I guess we'll have to wait and see, won't we?_

_I'm ready, you know._ I stared at the tiny screen, my palms beginning to sweat. She could only mean one of two things. Either she was ready for me to come and pick her up like I'd just offered, or she was ready to take our relationship to the next level. I was reluctant to have sex, but only because I didn't want her to think that that was all I wanted from her. I wanted her to know how much I cared about her; sex was not just sex to me – at least, not anymore. There was nothing casual about sharing that most intimate act with another person.

_Ready for me to come and get you?_ I typed with shaking fingers. I wanted Bella. I wanted her so badly that I could close my eyes and imagine what it would be like, here in my own bed. I wanted her so badly that I woke and had to relieve myself as I took my morning shower. I wanted her so badly that I could barely listen to the songs on my own spontaneous combustion playlist without thinking of her, and that would lead to the urge to take another shower.

_That's not what I meant._

_I know._

_If you don't want me, you can just tell me._ That was a remark of epic ridiculousness. I had the urge to call her, but I didn't know if she'd actually talk to me. She seemed to feel more comfortable with text messages, though she'd been open on the phone last night.

_I want you more than any other woman I've ever met._ I hoped she knew I wasn't exaggerating. There was so much more to her than a pretty face, which I realized now had been the draw with Tanya. She'd been so popular and perfect, and I'd never thought that a girl like that would want me – and she'd turned out to be cruel and calculating. Bella was the exact opposite – kind, open, honest, and _wonderful_. I was in love with her already, and I couldn't pretend that that didn't frighten me. I'd almost told her, too – thank God she'd kissed me before I could scare her off that way.

_Then why won't you?_ I took a deep breath as the fourth song ended. As the fifth song began, I realized I'd been right; so far all of the songs were aggressive – if not in lyrics, then musically. I was going to have to listen to this CD again after we were off the phone so I could appreciate it better.

_I'm scared._

_Scared?_

_I don't want to ruin anything. Introducing another dynamic might change what we are._

_You're right. It might make everything BETTER._ I laughed. I hadn't thought it was possible to get any better, it was so good already. I was surprised when another message came through before I'd sent her a response. _Please?_

_Why is this so important?_

_Because I have very strong feelings for you, and I think it's okay to do when you care about someone that much. _So she didn't think it was casual, either. That thought sent my heart soaring. It didn't lessen my reluctance, though. _Tell the truth, Edward. You think I'm a troll, right?_ I snorted loudly. I wasn't even paying attention to the CD anymore, and I wondered if that had been her intent.

_I think you are absolutely beautiful. _

_You're a schmooze, too._

_You mean you WEREN'T fishing for a compliment?_

_Very funny. Ha ha. My fingers are starting to hurt again._

_Should I say goodbye via text, or should I call you to tell you goodnight?_

_I'd love to hear your voice, but I'm afraid if you call I will stay on the phone, and I won't get any more reading done. I'm already having a hard time concentrating. _

_The offer still stands for me to come and get you, you know. _Several minutes passed, and I wondered if she'd turned her phone off, or maybe fallen asleep. I was startled when my phone beeped again.

_I want to say yes, but you know why I can't. I can't wait until Thursday._

_I may not let you leave once I get you here._

_That would be okay with me._

_I have already contemplated locking you up here for the entire weekend._

_I wouldn't put up a fight – unless you wanted me to._ I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out all of the images that were flooding my mind now.

_You're evil, do you know that?_

_So I've been told._

_Thought your fingers hurt._

_They do._

_Why are you still texting me then?_

_It's fun._

_It's a lot of fun. Are you going to wear your sexy pajamas for me Thursday?_

_That depends. I don't want to tease you if you really don't want me to._

_I like it when you tease me._

_But teasing you teases me too. I feel like a giant walking hormone these days._ I laughed so loud that I was sure Alice and Emmett could probably hear me from the main house.

_You haven't turned to ash yet._

_Just wait. I will, and then it will be too late for you to ravish me. _

_I would sorely regret that if it happened._

_You'd have a new girlfriend in a week, tops. _I frowned. Did she really see me that way? Did she think I moved from girl to girl so easily?

_I like the girlfriend I have now, I don't want anyone else._

_I like you saying I'm your girlfriend._

_Good. I like saying it too._

_I don't want anyone else either, you know. Ever. _I stared at that last word, my heart hammering in my chest. I must have been like that for a while, because she sent another message while I was staring. _Was that too much?_

_Do you really feel that way?_

_Yes, but I'm thinking I probably should have kept it to myself now. Did I freak you out?_

_Yes, but in a good way. _Oh, hell. If she really felt that way, then my only reason for not sleeping with her was out the window. If she didn't think this was a casual thing, and she really saw herself with me for any extended amount of time, then we felt the same way, and there was no reason for denying ourselves the pleasure anymore. Suddenly it didn't matter to me that it had only been a week; I was a firm believer in love at first sight. My parents had known each other for less than two weeks before they'd gotten married, and they'd been together for over twenty years. That wasn't to say that I was thinking of marriage yet – it just proved that we had the possibility for a lasting relationship already.

_Sure I didn't scare you off?_

_You'd have to do a lot more to scare me off right now._

_Good. Oh, you forgot to give me your email address._

_Ecullen1 on the school server._

_Ecullen1? How many Ecullens could there be that you had to have a number added to your name? _I laughed.

_Emmett is Ecullen2._

_I forgot about him. He's kind of scary, you know. My email is Iswan. _

_Emmett is okay once you get to know him. You get used to him. He's a decent guy._

_Is he as pushy and demanding as Alice is?_

_No, he's very laid back. Likes to party though._

_Now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure I've heard that before._

_When should I expect your email?_

_Soon. _

_Tired?_

_Yes. You?_

_Not really. When you come Thursday night, bring your swimsuit. _

_Do you have a swimming pool?_

_And a hot tub._

_Edward, come pick me up right now. I want to molest you._ _Swimming sounds like fun._

_I'm dying over here. Molest me? _

_You don't have to ask twice. lol_

_At the rate we're going, you'll be lucky if I don't molest you on first sight tomorrow._

_We can skip class, you know. I wouldn't mind._

_I am now convinced that you are the devil. Trying to get me to skip classes to have sex?_

_I was thinking more along the lines of making out, but hey, if you wanted to take it up a notch…_

_What happened to your fingers hurting and studying?_

_It's a bust, apparently all I can think about is getting you naked._ I laughed in surprise. She was being so bold! I was thoroughly enjoying her flirty side. I debated briefly about whether or not to tell her that I'd basically decided not to fight my urges anymore, and then I dismissed the thought. I did want to ask her something, though, and I thought that with as open as we were being, this was the perfect time to do it.

_Can I ask you something extremely personal?_

_Depends, can I ask you something extremely personal too?_

_Yes._

_Go ahead then._

_Have you ever slept with anyone before?_ I expected a considerable wait before she sent her next message, but it came as quickly as her other messages had.

_No._ Oh, hell. That made things more difficult. Just like that, my mind changed again. I didn't feel comfortable with that just yet. I frowned when the phone beeped again. _But you don't have to worry, it won't hurt me._

_Explain._

_Lost my hymen while horseback riding with my mom and stepdad during a family vacation._ I didn't know if I should be relieved at the knowledge that it wouldn't hurt her, or amazed that she had been so frank with me. I settled on a mix of both.

_So eager to be deflowered._

_There's nothing there to be deflowered, I just told you._

_Your first time is supposed to be very meaningful. You'll remember it for the rest of your life._

_Good thing it's going to be with you, then. _I was starting to feel lightheaded. It was time for a subject change – otherwise I was going to have to take a shower as soon as we finished talking.

_Can I usurp some more of your time tomorrow?_

_You can have as much of my time as you want. Consider it all yours from here on out. No need to ask permission._

_Let me take you to lunch?_

_Why was that a question?_

_Chauvinistic Edward is trying to play nice. _I grinned. I could imagine her laughing as she read it.

_You're a comedian now! When and where should I meet you?_

_When do your morning classes end?_

_Noon._

_12:15 in our gazebo. Can't wait to see you._

_Okay. Going to go to bed now. Sweet dreams._

_Sweet dreams, my Bella._ Of course they would be sweet dreams – they would all be of her.

**FROM:** iswan

**TO:** ecullen1

**SUBJECT:** Track Listing – BSCP

Are you even feeling warm yet? See you tomorrow.

Bella's Spontaneous Combustion Playlist

1. "Funeral of a Good Grrl" - Bif Naked

2. "My Love Is Like...Wo" - Mya

3. "Mouth" - Merrill Bainbridge

4. "Can't Get You Out of My Head" - Kylie Minogue

5. "Ooh La La" - Goldfrapp

6. "I Touch Myself" - The Divinyls

7. "Naughty Girl" - Beyonce

8. "Touch My Body" - Mariah Carey

9. "Snakeface" - Throwing Muses

10. "Kiss You All Over" - Tiffany

11. "The First Taste" - Fiona Apple

12. "Turn Me On" - Norah Jones

13. "Eat You Up" - BoA


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_**Edward's POV**_

To say I'd had a rough night was an understatement.

Ever since I'd gotten Bella's email and re-listened to the CD she'd made me, I'd been a wreck, both physically and emotionally. I'd listened carefully to the music, and when I hadn't been able to understand the lyrics, I'd opened my laptop and looked them up. After spending some time studying the words to the songs she'd given me, I'd had to take a cold shower. When that hadn't helped, I'd put on a classical CD and tried to go to sleep. I should have known better than that. Classical music helps me think – and the last thing I needed to do was to dwell on the things that I wanted to do to Bella.

I'd finally gotten up and paced relentlessly, listening to the CD on repeat. I was going to be of no use to anyone tomorrow; I was going to be so tired I'd probably be falling asleep in my classes, which had never happened before. Finally, on the third go-round, I decided that I would retaliate. I would complete _my_ spontaneous combustion CD and give it to her tomorrow – then she would have time tomorrow night to listen to it, and she would be worked up until she saw me on Thursday. Revenge would be so sweet!

I stayed up until three o'clock in the morning, finding the songs that I needed and ripping them onto my computer. Once I had burned them to a blank CD, however, I had nothing else to keep me occupied. What else was there to do? I laid in my bed, and thought of Bella for a long time. Eventually I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, I was being jolted awake much too early by my alarm clock.

I switched the damned thing off and sat up in my bed, rubbing my eyes. Noon was going to be piteously slow in arriving today; I could feel it. I took a shower, not passing on the chance to relieve myself of all of my carnal desires while I did so, and when I had dressed, I felt marginally better. I would be completely better when 12:15 arrived and I was in the company of the one who'd caused me so much discomfort last night. Even now all I could think about was kissing her into oblivion.

I was still listening to the CD in the car on the way to class (apparently I am a complete masochist – I couldn't help myself), and after I had gotten out of the car and begun walking to class, I found myself still going over the lyrics in my head. I stopped and laughed at myself, ignoring the looks that passerby were giving me. What else was I expected to think about? After all, I hadn't had sex in a long time, and Bella was nothing if not willing… and she wanted _me_, and that was the context in which I was listening to the songs! Every word sparked vivid images in my imagination.

I shook my head to try and clear it of the thoughts that were about to head in the wrong direction again, but then I realized something: the songs on Bella's CD had been aggressive and overtly sexual. Most of the songs on the CD I had in my messenger bag were slow and tender… and also tended to have emotion behind them. I patted the outside zipper pocket of my bag where the CD was, and I sighed. I wondered now if she would think less of me for putting together such a thing – and then I realized that I didn't care. I was in love with this woman, regardless of how she felt, and regardless of the fact that I had fallen so quickly. This was as good a way as any to let her know that I cared about more than just getting her into bed, and that the sex act – when it finally happened – would hold a significant amount of meaning for me. She _had_ said she didn't want anyone other than me – ever – hadn't she?

I went to my first class of the day, and amazingly enough I was able to participate in the discussion coherently. The next class was even easier, though I'd be a liar if I said that it didn't take a Herculean effort to concentrate. By the time my third class was over, I felt as though I'd run a marathon; I was mentally and physically drained. My lack of sleep was catching up with me.

And then all it took to get my heart racing and my entire system completely alert was a glance at my watch, which told me that it was 11:15. One hour until I would be with her again, and I could give her the CD I'd made.

I made my way to the gazebo – _our_ gazebo, and sat down. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and scrolled through the messages we'd exchanged last night, and I couldn't help the smile that turned my mouth up. I was really looking forward to tomorrow night. I couldn't wait to have her all to myself, and I was actually considering asking Alice not to take Bella with her to the club, just so I could be alone with her longer. I hadn't though, because even if Bella didn't really want to go, I knew my sister well enough to know that she'd find some way of getting back at me, and I wouldn't like it.

I sighed and closed my phone, shoving it back into my pocket. I was staring off into space and thinking about Bella when my phone vibrated. I was so surprised that I jumped.

_Are you still in class?_

The grin that stretched across my face was so big that I wondered at myself. It was just a text message, but it was the first time I'd heard from her today. _Nope. Waiting for you. Why are you texting during class?_

_Not in class._ I felt my grin fade just a little bit, and a wave of disappointment rolled over me. Was she sick? That would ruin my entire weekend…

_Why not?_

_Decided to skip. _

_Second week of classes and you're already skipping? Tsk tsk!_

_Well if you don't want to see me I can go back to the dorm…_

_No! Come meet me… but why are you texting me when you could be talking to me?_

My phone rang, and I laughed. "Hello?"

"I thought you were in class, remember?"

"Right," I said, still smiling like an idiot. "Where are you?"

"Well," she said, a hint of laughter in her voice, "Close enough that I can see you."

"What?" I stood up and looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of her.

"You look kind of panicked." She laughed. "Were you doing something that you shouldn't have been doing?"

"Like what?" I was still looking around for her when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and found myself looking into a pair of highly amused coffee-colored eyes, and I shut the phone. I didn't even wait for her to answer my question before I wrapped my arms around her and pressed my lips against hers. She lifted her arms and curled them around my neck, and when I felt her touch the nape of my neck gently with her fingertips, I deepened the kiss. It was an amazing release of the emotion I'd let keep me awake last night, and because it felt so damned good, I held nothing back. Our tongues moved together, and my arms tightened around her.

"Edward," she breathed finally, when I had decided to taste the skin of her jaw, "Hello to you, too."

"Mmm," I muttered, unwilling to stop my exploration of her skin. I kissed all the way down her jaw, paused just long enough at the spot behind her ear to hear her breathing hitch, and then began my assault on the creamy expanse of her throat.

"If you keep this up, we may end up putting on a show for anyone who happens to walk by," she warned half-heartedly. Her fingers were curling into my hair, tugging gently, which only enflamed my desire more – if that were even humanly possible.

"Mmm," I replied. I pulled the neck of her shirt open just enough to expose a bit of her collarbone, and I sucked gently. She gasped, and after a moment, I pulled back to smile at her. "I missed you."

"Really?" She asked, trying to steady her breathing. "I couldn't tell."

"I have something for you." It didn't escape my notice that she hadn't tried to extricate herself from my arms, which were firmly wrapped around her, and she hadn't moved hers away from my neck. Immediately her expression turned wary.

"You do?"

"What, don't you like gifts?" I teased.

"Not particularly," she admitted, sighing.

"Well, then you'll be happy to know that it's not really a gift."

"What is it?"

"I finished my CD." Her eyes lit up.

"You did? That was quick! Can I have it?"

"No," I said, laughing. Her smile dissipated. "You didn't let me listen to mine right away, so I'm going to keep you in turmoil until we part ways for the day." She wrinkled her nose at me, and it was so adorably appealing that I dropped a quick kiss on it. I let go of her and reached for my messenger bag.

"I thought you were happy to see me," she said, pouting.

"I _am _happy to see you!" I laughed again. "I'm about to take you out to lunch, remember?"

She sighed. "But you won't give me the CD? I don't see why you can't just _give_ it to me. I mean, it's not like I can listen to it right now, anyway." She adjusted the strap of her messenger bag on her shoulder, and I was intrigued to see her cheeks turn pink. When she finally spoke, her voice was softer. "I missed you last night. You have no idea how much I wish I'd been able to see you after we said goodnight."

I studied her face silently for a moment, and when I didn't answer, she looked at me. She shifted nervously. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"No," I said, clearing my throat so my voice wouldn't break. "I wasn't kidding last night when I offered to come and get you."

"I know."

"I would have loved to have been face to face with you last night – especially after I listened to that CD multiple times. To be perfectly honest, I had a hard time getting to sleep."

"Me, too," she admitted. "Not because of the CD, I mean, but because I kept thinking about the things I'd sent to you, and wondering if maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. I don't want to ruin anything by coming on too strong."

"You didn't ruin anything," I reassured her. She was visibly relieved, and gave me a breathtaking smile. "I enjoyed every second of our conversation."

"Even when it got scary?"

"Even then," I admitted. "You have no idea how much I appreciate the honesty and forthrightness you showed me last night. It seems like everyone else has always played some sort of game with me, and you're so different from that."

"Ah," she said, her cheeks turning pink again as she smiled. "Sensitive Edward makes his appearance." I laughed.

"I suppose. Are you hungry?"

"Starved."

"Then let's go eat, shall we?"

* * *

_**Bella's POV**_

I was completely startled when he'd taken me into his arms and planted that kiss on me as soon as he'd seen me. My heart had jumped into my throat and set up camp there, it seemed. His reluctance to stop kissing me had made my temperature rise and my body shake with anticipation. I had expected maybe a kiss or two, but nothing like this. I wasn't complaining, though; I had lain awake half of the night, thinking about the things we'd said to each other, and wondering if I'd overstepped some invisible emotional boundary.

We had a lovely lunch together, eating and talking with ease, which helped to allay my fears. We'd almost finished with lunch when I realized exactly how much the previous night's conversation had weighed on me. I felt as though a burden had been lifted from my shoulders, and I think Edward noticed when that happened.

"You seem happier," he observed, throwing away the remnants of our meal. I shrugged and took one last sip of my drink, and then tossed it into the trashcan before we left the restaurant.

"I'm fine," I said, smiling at him. He smiled back, even though he looked a little confused, and held the car door open for me. When he had gotten in and sat down, he put the key in the ignition, and then hesitated. When he turned to me, I raised my eyebrows. "Are _you_ okay?"

"It's just-" He stared at me for several moments, and then he reached out and touched my cheek gently with his fingertips. "Things seem to be progressing so easily between us, don't they? It seems so effortless. I suppose I'm just not used to it, is all." I smiled.

"That's good, though, right? That things are so easy?"

"It's amazing," he agreed, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to my lips. "_You're_ amazing." I felt my cheeks burn.

"So, what were you listening to this morning?" I asked, changing the subject as he started the car. I turned the volume up on the radio and was surprised to hear one of the songs from my spontaneous combustion CD playing. He looked completely shocked for a moment, and then quickly shut the CD player off. I stared at his reddened cheeks for all of six seconds, and then I burst out laughing.

"Why is it funny that I was listening to the CD you gave me?" he demanded, though he was grinning.

"That's not what's funny," I gasped, still giggling. "What's funny is that you were listening to it in the _morning_, on your way to class!"

"Why is that funny?"

"Because it's not something you'd want to listen to in the morning, is all!"

"When would you advise listening to it, then?" he asked, pulling into a parking space and shutting the car off. He turned to me expectantly, and I felt my face flush.

"At night, when you're alone in your room – or alone with another person you're attracted to."

"And why is that?"

"Because the songs are supposed to get you excited physically and make you think about doing the things they're singing about," I explained, shifting uncomfortably in my seat. I removed my seat belt and exited the car. I turned, and he was standing next to me so quickly that I blinked in surprise.

"And you can't feel that way during the day, is that what you're saying?" He asked, feigning innocence. I swallowed with difficulty.

"I never said that," I clarified. He moved closer to me, and I felt the urge to let my eyes roll back in my head when his arms snaked around my waist, pulling me closer.

"Are you saying that you never feel that way, except at night?"

"No," I breathed, closing my eyes. I concentrated on the movements of his thumbs against the small of my back. When I opened my eyes again to look at him, he was watching me with amusement. "But obviously _you_ feel that way during the day."

"I feel that way right now," he supplied, making my heart pound violently against my ribcage.

"Edward," I said, my tone a warning. "If you kiss me now, we will _not_ make it to class. That is a promise."

"What will happen if I kiss you _after_ class?" He asked, smirking. I let my forehead drop to his shoulder.

"You're trying to kill me, aren't you?"

"No – but I believe you're beginning to get an idea of how I felt last night." I sighed.

"So this is payback for the CD we both agreed to make?"

"Not so much payback as material for you to remember tonight when you're listening to the CD I made for you." I laughed.

"I didn't realize there was a Cruel Edward," I remarked. He laughed throatily, and I could feel the vibrations of his laughter in his chest as he held me.

"I'm not trying to be cruel," he said apologetically, after a moment. He slipped a finger under my chin and gently forced my head up. When our eyes met, he placed an agonizingly slow kiss on my lips, and I sighed. "I would never purposely hurt you, my Bella."

I shivered. There was that phrase again – _my Bella_. I loved it. I didn't think I'd ever get tired of hearing him say it. I was ready to melt into his arms and beg him to just take me back to his apartment when he let go of me.

"We're going to be late for class if we don't get going," he said, smiling brilliantly at me. Too overwhelmed by emotion, I just nodded and took the hand he offered.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_**Edward's POV**_

It was difficult to pay attention to Professor Cleary when Bella was in such close proximity, but somehow I managed. The scent of her wafted towards me, and I caught myself several times closing my eyes when I inhaled it. For the most part, she didn't really seem to notice anything peculiar – though I did notice that she shifted her eyes towards me and gave me a curious look once.

As soon as the lecture was over and most of the students had filed out, I turned to her. "Do you have any plans for the rest of the evening?" She smiled at me and shook her head as she shoved her notebook into her messenger bag.

"Not unless you have something planned for us to do," she said, giving me what I supposed was her 'innocent' look. I grinned.

"Would you be interested in accompanying me back to my apartment and having dinner with me?"

"I thought I told you last night that you don't have to ask for my time anymore." She sighed loudly, but her cheeks were tinged pink. By this time, we were the only people left in the room.

"But I wouldn't know if you had something else planned – dinner with Angela, for instance," I pointed out, leaning towards her. She leaned closer to me, and I could feel the temperature rising in the room.

"Angela's actually been spending a lot of time with Alice, you know," she said, her voice breathy.

"Is that so." I really wasn't interested in Angela's activities – or my sister's, for that matter. No, I was more interested in the way Bella's lips were parted as I closed the distance between us.

"Yeah, she's been… texting her… a lot…" Her voice faded, and then I pressed my lips gently to hers. For a moment, the contact was gentle and light, and then I lightly traced her lips with the tip of my tongue. I felt her warm breath on me as she exhaled, and the disappointment shot through me when she pulled away. It was short-lived, however, when she stood, slung her messenger bag over her shoulder, and reached for my hand.

"Your apartment," she demanded as I slipped my hand into hers and stood. "Now." I grinned and inclined my head slightly.

"Your wish is my command." She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling as she did. I slung my messenger bag over my arm and threaded my fingers through hers, which made her blush a lovely shade of deep pink. I leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to her temple, and she smiled bemusedly at me.

"What was that for?"

"I told you what your blushing does to me," I said, shrugging. She turned away, but not before I saw her capture her bottom lip between her teeth. I stopped walking and glanced around the hallway to make sure we wouldn't have an audience - I saw one or two students, but I wasn't worried about them, since they seemed to be engrossed in conversation – and I pressed her up against the wall, sliding my hands down to her hips and holding her to me. Immediately her eyes widened and her breathing became uneven.

"Edward," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "We're in the hallway. There are people down there, and-" I hushed her by pressing a light kiss to her lips.

"I don't care who sees us if you don't," I answered. Her lips quivered as she shook her head once, and I took advantage of her silence. I didn't take things slow and easy this time, and as soon as our lips met, my tongue pried her lips apart. I swallowed back the moan when I felt her hands fist in the front of my shirt, and I pressed my hips against hers. I heard her make a noise in the back of her throat immediately after that, and I could only guess that she felt exactly how much her kisses were affecting me.

I let my hands wander from her hips around to cup her backside, and when I gave a gentle squeeze, she let go of my shirt and plunged her hands into my hair, trying to pull me closer. As her fingers sifted through my hair, images of her writhing beneath me in my bed dominated my thoughts. I made a concentrated effort to slow down the frenzied way I was kissing her, and finally managed to pull slightly away from her. I kept my hands right where they were, though – which meant that our hips were still pressed together. My head was starting to spin from the contact, and I wondered vaguely if it felt the same way to her.

"Wow," she breathed softly, dropping her hands from my hair to my shoulders. I nodded and rested my forehead against hers.

"That's two fantasies for me," I said finally, smirking at her. Her eyes popped open and she stared at me for a moment before laughing.

"Librarian and in public?" she confirmed.

"I'm going to have to start making a list for yours," I said, trying to sound apologetic.

"But we kissed in public in the mall," she pointed out.

"Yes, but it was in a deserted hallway." She made a point of looking both up and down the hallway we were currently in.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone here," she observed. "It's deserted, too."

"Damn," I muttered, feigning anger. "Now we're going to have to find a more populated place and do this _again_." She laughed, and I gave her behind one more squeeze before releasing her.

"Is this what we're going to do at your apartment?" I reached for her hand and began leading her down the hallway.

"What, walk?" I asked innocently. She rolled her eyes.

"You know, you seemed like you were in a strange mood earlier today," she said, shifting her messenger bag on her shoulder with her free hand.

"How so?" I pushed the button for the elevator, and we waited.

"You just seemed so… I don't know," she said, shrugging. "You just seemed different, that's all." The tiny bell that signaled the elevator's arrival on our floor sounded, and the doors began to open. "I just wanted to ask if…" Her voice died.

"If what?" Her eyes were focused on the man in the elevator, and I turned to look at him. He was just a hair taller than me, though he had darker skin and long, black hair.

"Hi, Jacob," she breathed, smiling. I could feel my eyes narrow; the smile was quite obviously forced. I squeezed the hand I was holding and led her into the elevator.

"Hey, Bells." Jacob looked at me, clearly sizing me up. "I don't think I've met your friend." His eyes drifted down to our joined hands, and I could see his hands clenching and unclenching. I got the very distinct feeling that he wanted to hit me. I couldn't resist smiling at him because of it.

"I'm Edward, Bella's boyfriend." At this, Bella's cheeks turned bright red, and she refused to look at Jacob. His eyes narrowed at me, though he plastered a false smile on – for Bella's benefit, I was guessing.

"I'm Jacob," he said through his teeth. I nodded politely, enjoying his discomfort. He obviously had feelings for _my_ Bella. "How long have you and Bella been going out?"

"Just over a week now." For some reason, he suddenly looked surprised, and he shot a glance at her. Bella's eyes were focused on the elevator door, and her lips were moving quickly – I wondered if she was praying silently for the doors to open so she could escape. The thought made me wonder if something had happened between the two of them – and that thought made my blood boil in my veins. "How do you know Bella?"

Before he could answer, the doors opened and Bella - well, there was no other word for it – _jumped_ out of the elevator. She was practically running away! I darted after her without saying anything else to Jacob, who was visibly flustered. When I finally caught up with her outside of the building, she was doubled over behind a stretch of trees, trying to catch her breath.

"What in the hell was that about?" I asked, hating the frown that I felt turning my mouth down. She shook her head, and when she looked up at me, I was instantly struck with remorse for the tone of voice I'd used. Her eyes were full of angry tears.

"The first day I was here," she gasped, righting herself and still breathing heavily, "I got lost looking for my first class. Jacob found me in the courtyard and showed me to the building. Ever since then, he's been sitting with Ang and me in the cafeteria – him and his friend, Mike."

"Okay," I said slowly, studying her face. She swiped at the tears on her cheeks with the back of her hand. I waited anxiously for her to finish explaining.

"You had just asked me to have dinner with you, and I thought that maybe you were just asking me out because of some twisted notion that you wanted to make it up to me for being mean and you didn't really _want_ to go on an actual date with me and then he-"

"Whoa," I said, holding my hands up. She took a few deep breaths. "You thought I asked you out that first time just because I'd felt bad that I'd been mean to you?"

"Yes – wasn't that the reason?"

"Well… that _was_ part of it," I admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck with my hand. "But I was attracted to you, too. So then what happened?"

"I ran into Jacob just after that, and he asked me to go out with him on that Saturday and I said yes because I felt guilty. He'd been so nice to me," she explained, her tears drying. I frowned again, this time because I felt a hot stab of jealousy.

"Did you actually go out with him?" I'd kissed her on that first date. Had it meant nothing to her?

"I did, but I didn't want to. You can ask Angela if you don't believe me. Afterwards I knew it was a mistake to have gone, and I couldn't wait to see you to erase the memory of what he'd done, and –"

"The memory of what he'd done?" I echoed blankly. Her cheeks colored then, and I could feel my temper rising. "What did he do?"

"We saw a movie together, and he – he tried to put the moves on me, and when I turned to tell him that I wanted him to stop, he-"

"He kissed you?" I guessed, feeling my fingers clench and unclench repeatedly. Now _I_ was the one who felt ready to punch _him_.

"I wouldn't call it a kiss," she said miserably, her face crumpling. "More like he tried to jackhammer my throat with his tongue." I was starting to see spots of red in my field of vision. She must have noticed, because she took a hesitant step forward, her hand outstretched. When I didn't move, her hand dropped, and she looked sad. "I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't mention it because it was only one date, and I never had any kind of interest in him that way – especially not after I'd met you."

I stared at her for several moments, and the spots faded as I concentrated on her face. She was telling me she had absolutely no interest in him, and as it sank in, I exhaled slowly. She had basically spent every waking moment she had with me since we'd had that first date, so in my rational mind, I knew she hadn't gone out with him again. Still, I was angry with _him_ for even daring to touch my Bella, let alone try to _kiss_ her.

"I'm sorry," I breathed, stepping closer and wrapping my arms around her. She sighed and buried her face in my chest, and just like that, the anger ebbed. "I overreacted. I tend to be a bit jealous, you see."

"Jealous?" She mumbled. "I thought you were just mad at me."

"I get jealous very easily," I admitted. "I could tell that he was upset that I was holding your hand, which means that he has feelings for you – which made me provoke him. I had to show off the fact that I was with you. I'm sorry if that upset you." She pulled back enough to look in my eyes.

"I went on a date with another guy and _you're_ apologizing to _me_?"

"You seem upset with me," I explained, rubbing small circles on her back with my fingertips.

"I'm not upset with you," she said, pressing her face against my chest again. "I was just very uncomfortable being in the elevator with him. I haven't really talked to him since that day – and when I left him I was very angry with him."

"And you're not now?"

"I hadn't even really thought about him," she said softly. "I guess I haven't really thought about _anything_ except you since that first date." I slipped my finger under her chin and gently forced her to look at me.

"You can't imagine how much I like hearing that." I pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, and when I pulled away, she was smiling. "Do you forgive me for being so jealous?"

"I actually kind of liked it," she replied, releasing me. I grinned. "Caveman Edward is _very_ appealing."

"Caveman?" I laughed. "Perhaps next time we encounter your friend I'll throw you over my shoulder, then."

"Another fantasy?" she inquired, arching an eyebrow at me. I laughed again and reached for her hand as we walked across campus towards the parking lot where my car was.

"I'm starting to think I would like _anything_ if you're involved." The blush that crept up her neck was adorable. "So, do you want to rent a movie tonight, or study, or just break in my armchair?" Her head whipped around, and then when she saw the smile on my face, she giggled.

"What would you do if I wanted to break in the armchair?" My breath left me in a _whoosh_ of air.

"Um…" I hadn't thought about it, but now all kinds of scenarios were playing in my mind.

"I actually do have a lot of studying to do," she said regretfully. "And if I want to be able to relax and have fun tomorrow night, I'd better get it done."

"Speaking of tomorrow night," I began. "Where is it that Alice is taking you?"

"She didn't say exactly, she just said she was taking Angela and I to some club where half of it is a dance floor for all ages and the bar is upstairs – I think."

"Ah." I knew exactly where my sister was taking them. I'd been forced to go once, too. "What time should I expect you to stumble home?" As soon as the words left my lips, I felt a wave of heat wash over me. I'd just referred to my apartment as her home! She rolled her eyes, apparently not catching my slip-up.

"I have no clue. And, hey! What do you mean by 'stumble'?"

"You'll be drunk by the time you make it to my apartment." I felt confident in my prediction – I'd been completely wasted after Alice had taken me to that same club. It was one of the reasons I hadn't accepted any subsequent offers to go back; not to mention that the thought of the hangover I'd suffered was enough to keep me away from alcohol permanently, despite the fact that I was now legally allowed to consume it. Bella frowned.

"But I'm under 21. I'm not allowed to drink."

"They don't really care whether you're old enough or not, so long as you've got the money to pay for what you order and you tip well."

"Trust me, I am _not_ going to drink."

"Famous last words," I cautioned, opening the car door for her. Once we were on the road, she turned and looked at me.

"Have you been to that club before?"

"Yes."

"Really? Then why don't you come with us tomorrow night?"

"What?" I laughed. I loathed dancing as much as she seemed to. Why would I willingly submit to… a thought popped into my head. "Is Alice going to dress you?" Her flushed cheeks were my answer.

"Remember the outfit I was trying on when we …er… _disappeared_ into the dressing room together?" Crap. I glanced down at the knobs on the console. No, the heat was off… so why did it feel like it was getting unbearably warm inside the car? I rolled the window down a bit.

"I think so," I said, coughing a bit to clear my throat. "Red shirt and jeans?"

"Alice said I have to wear that tomorrow night," she said, nodding. She stared balefully down at her feet. "She's even making me wear a pair of high heeled shoes." My arm jerked slightly, and I was grateful that we were sitting at a red light – otherwise we would've been in the other lane by now.

"Really? Do you want me to talk to her and see if she'll let you out of it?" _Please say no. Please say no. Please say no._ The thought of Bella in heels and nothing else was making me feel feverish. I could feel the beads of sweat forming on my forehead.

"No, that's okay," she said, waving my offer away with her hand. I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Apparently the horny asshole in me was slowly taking over my conscious mind. "If I don't wear them tomorrow when she wants me to, she'll find a way to make me wear them at another more awkward time. Not that anything can get more awkward for me than dancing," she muttered. I held back a laugh.

"You can't say I didn't warn you about Alice before you even met her," I said, trying to hold back my laugh and not succeeding. She frowned at me.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you that it wasn't nice to say 'I told you so,' especially to women?"

"I'm sorry," I said, pulling into the driveway and shutting off the ignition. "I take it back."

"What? The 'I told you so' or the introducing me to her in the first place?" She grumbled, getting out of the car. I laughed so hard, my sides started to hurt. Despite her grumbling, she smiled back at me.

_**Bella's POV**_

He really was too beautiful to stay mad at. I wished he would come with us tomorrow night, but it seemed that no amount of cajoling was going to convince him – and for some reason, every time I said that I would save a dance for him if he did, he turned bright red and stuttered. I couldn't imagine that he could possibly be a worse dancer than me, but I supposed it might be plausible. I made a mental note to ask his sister about it.

We had been hanging around his apartment, basically doing nothing but talking for a long time about nothing in particular, when we both seemed to realize that it was dinnertime and we hadn't ordered anything. I laughed as his stomach growled and his face turned cherry red.

"What sounds good tonight?" He asked, rising from his spot next to me on the sofa.

"I don't know," I said uncertainly. "Do I get to pay?" His answering look told me not to be ridiculous. "I don't like mooching off of you. Why don't you let me cook instead?"

"You're not mooching. What would you cook?" He asked absentmindedly, as he flipped through the phone book he was holding. "There's no food here." I blinked.

"Come on, Edward. There has to be _some_ food here." I went into his kitchen uninvited and poked around. I flung open cabinets. I went through the fridge. I even searched through drawers. Ten minutes later, I stood there, flabbergasted. "You have absolutely no food in your apartment!"

"I tried to tell you," he said, laughing. He was leaning against the counter with his arms folded over his chest – he had enjoyed watching me try to prove him wrong. "I can't keep food up here – Emmett would raid my kitchen if I did."

"But… no food?"

"How about this," he began, closing the distance between us and rubbing up and down my arms with his hands. "I'll order out this time, and next time you can cook here for me. You'll have to foot the bill for the groceries, of course, but-" I snorted.

"Okay."

"That was easy. You must like to cook."

"I find it very relaxing. Sometimes it's even cathartic." He gave me a strange look, and then smiled softly.

"So what sounds good for dinner tonight?"

"What sounds good to you?"

"I asked you first."

"You're paying, so you decide. I don't want to pick something you don't like."

"Must we do this every time?" He asked, laughing. I smiled and brought my arms up around his neck. His smile faded, and he _smoldered_ at me. It was so unfair. I was going to have to learn to smolder at him, too.

"I know what I want for dinner," I said softly, stroking the back of his neck with my fingertips. His eyes slipped shut for a moment, and I pressed my advantage by touching my lips to the base of his neck. The gasp that escaped him made me feel powerful.

"You are evil," he mumbled, though I noticed that he didn't tell me to stop. I smiled against the skin of his neck and kissed him again.

"So I've been told." He squeezed my upper arms gently, and then moved away. I pouted.

"My stomach is about to growl again, and it's undignified to let a beautiful woman lavish affection on you when you can't properly enjoy it," he explained. I crossed my arms over my chest and flopped onto his sofa, still pouting like a five year old. He laughed and picked up the phone to order our dinner. I listened to him order Chinese, and I couldn't help the sigh that escaped me. He was just… he was beautiful. It was like watching a movie – you know, when you think the hero is really hot, but he's so perfect that he couldn't _really_ exist in real life? He gave me a curious look. I just watched him silently. When he was finished, he sat next to me on the sofa.

"Is everything all right?" His forehead wrinkled with concern. I nodded.

"More than all right," I answered, leaning forward to snuggle up against his side. I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. "Do you ever get the feeling that all is right with the world?"

"Not usually," he said, no hint of laughter in his voice as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer. "But right now… absolutely." I was perfectly content to sit with him like this, so I had no idea how much time had passed when he spoke again.

"Bella, I –" There was a knock on the door, and I could hear the exasperated noise he made before I extracted myself from him. He paid for the food and brought it over to the coffee table in front of us.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes," he said, though he looked a bit flustered. I watched him while he unpacked the containers of food.

"What were you going to say just before the food came?"

"I…" His hands faltered a bit, and he put down the plastic utensils he'd been holding. He turned his eyes towards me. "I was just going to tell you that…" His voice faltered, and then suddenly his eyes widened. "I was just going to tell you that I know what the theme for our next CD exchange should be."

"What?"

"Songs that make me us think of each other."

"I thought we already did that," I answered slyly. He grinned.

"Well, yes, but I meant in a non-carnal sort of way." I giggled.

"Non-carnal?"

"Exactly."

"You realize that this has the potential to turn into a mushy, girly 'how-I-feel-about-you' kind of CD on my end, right?"

"That would be fine," he said, his grin fading. "Actually, I like the sound of that better."

"What? A CD that tells you how I feel about you?" I asked. He nodded, and my throat felt suddenly parched. "And you're going to do the same for me, and not just give me a disc full of songs that make you think of me?"

"I'll do the same for you."

"How are we going to go about listening to them? Is it the same as with the spontaneous combustion CDs? We just exchange and listen to them whenever?"

"Yes."

"Speaking of which," I began, a thought occurring to me. "When do I get my CD? You can't keep it from me all night, you know."

He grinned, and handed me a few of the containers. "And why can't I?"

"Because it's not nice," I spluttered indignantly. He chuckled, and handed me a set of chopsticks, as well as a fork and spoon.

"I never claimed to be nice."

"Edward," I whined. He laughed again. "Please?" I fluttered my eyelashes at him, hoping that I looked coquettish and not as though I had something stuck in my eye. "Please?" It seemed to be doing something, since his eyes were suddenly locked on me, staring intently. Was his breathing shallower? I thought so, but I wasn't positive. Just for good measure, I stuck my lower lip out slightly and asked again. "Please?"

I barely had time to register the fact that he'd dropped his chopsticks before his mouth was on mine, kissing me mercilessly. His tongue plundered my mouth, and I heard myself whimper. The noise just seemed to fuel him on, because suddenly I was on my back and his weight was pressing me into the sofa. His mouth left mine and, instead of traveling down my neck like he usually did, he set straight about attacking my collarbone and the hollow at the base of my throat. When I felt him latch on to the spot where my neck and my shoulder met and _suck_, I moaned.

I began trailing my fingernails up and down his back, pausing to dig them in whenever I felt his hips jerk against mine. When one of his wandering hands cupped my breast through my sweater and bra, I gasped and arched my back, pushing myself closer to him. As soon as I did that, though, he froze, and removed his hand. I made a noise of protest, and he lifted his head to press a light kiss to my lips. He moved, and I made another noise, which elicited a laugh from him.

"You are going to be the death of me," he said, his voice low and gravelly.

"Why did you stop?" I whined, watching as he picked up the chopsticks he'd dropped. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Oh, _God,_ no," he said, shaking his head vehemently. "I just – I hate the way I lose control so easily around you."

"I don't mind it. In fact, I-"

"Wouldn't mind if I lost control again?" he finished. I sighed. "I told you, Bella, when this happens," he said, gesturing between us with long, graceful fingers, "I am going to take my time and enjoy it. I don't want it to be frenzied and rushed."

I was still staring at his fingers as I answered. "We can start over and go slow now," I suggested. He chuckled.

"Are you going to stop ogling my hands long enough to eat your dinner?"

"You're going to make me pout again," I pointed out.

"And then neither one of us will be finishing dinner," he threatened.

"You think you're discouraging me from doing it, but you're just daring me. And I don't back down from dares. Ever."

"Then I dare you to eat your dinner and keep your hands to yourself." He looked very smug and self satisfied.

"Fine," I said haughtily, picking up my fork. "But I dare you to do the same."

"Done."

"Oh, really?" I fluttered my eyelashes at him and stuck out my lower lip. "Really, Edward?" His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared, and his grip on the chopsticks was making his knuckles turn white.

"That is entirely unfair." His whole body looked stiff, like he was afraid to move even the tiniest bit.

"All's fair in love and war," I replied, trying to look innocent.

"Bella," was all he said. It was meant to be a warning, but I could tell that he was wavering in his resolve. I sighed and looked down for a moment, and then looked back up at him through the fringe of my lashes. He let out a shaky breath. "Bella, _please_."

"Oh, all right. But you're no fun." I stopped pouting and reached for one of the open containers. He relaxed then, and gave me a rueful smile.

"I'm no fun because I won't throw you down on my sofa again?"

"Caveman Edward is _fun_," I supplied, waving my fork at him. He laughed.

"I'll make it up to you, then," he said, rising from the sofa. I watched him, unabashedly staring at his body as he moved around the room. He retrieved something from his messenger bag and held it out to me.

"You're giving me the CD now?" I dropped my fork into one of the containers and grabbed it from his hands, frowning when I saw that there was no track listing or writing on the disc itself.

"I decided to email you the track listing after I've driven you home," he explained, watching me examine the disc. "No cheating, remember? So am I forgiven for not ravishing you?"

"Not really," I muttered, gently placing the CD on the table and picking up my food again. "But I guess it's a start."

* * *

**FROM**: ecullen1

**TO**: iswan

I hope you're enjoying the CD, as I've no doubt you're already listening to it. Sweet dreams, my Bella – I am looking very forward to tomorrow night.

Edward

TRACK LISTING FOR EDWARD'S SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION PLAYLIST

1. I'm On Fire – Bruce Springsteen

2. Magic – Colbie Caillat

3. To Be With You – Hoobastank

4. Here In My Room – Incubus

5. Miracles – Jefferson Starship

6. Your Body Is a Wonderland – John Mayer

7. Let's Get It On – Marvin Gaye

8. All I Need – Radiohead

9. Lost Without U – Robin Thicke

10. I Want U - The Beatles

11. Nights In White Satin – the Moody Blues

12. Connect the Dots – the Spill Canvas

13. Crazy Love – Van Morrison

(If you want to download Edward's playlist, shoot me an email and I'll send you the link. My email is listed on my profile.)


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

_**Bella's POV**_

"Bella, are you getting up today?" I frowned and pulled the pillow over my head, mumbling something about bossy roommates. She laughed and I heard the creak of the springs as she sat down on her bed. "It's time to get up for breakfast."

"I can manage without food until lunch."

"You don't want to get ready to go to class?"

"I'm skipping today. It's just choir. I need to conserve my energy, because I'm going to need it for killing Edward when I see him again."

"Why is that?" She asked, laughing again.

I sat up in bed, ignoring her giggle at my haystack-looking hair. "Let's just say that he pretty much ensured that I wouldn't get any sleep last night." Her eyes widened.

"What-"

"The first CDs we exchanged are full of songs that get us in the mood," I huffed. It was too early to feel embarrassed anyway. Her jaw dropped. "I gave him mine two days ago, so he retaliated and gave me his yesterday when he dropped me off here – _minus_ a good night kiss, by the way."

"So that's what kept you tossing and turning last night," she mused, glancing over at my iPod, which was lying on the shelf by my bed. "Why didn't you just turn it off?" I winced and she laughed. "Sorry – bad choice of words. Why did you keep listening to it?"

"I had to," I explained, flopping back on my bed. I threw my arm over my eyes. "I was dying of curiosity."

"So when are you seeing loverboy next?"

"Today after his class, probably. We always run into each other after I leave choir, since he has piano in the same building then. Oh," I said, bracing myself for her reaction. "I forgot to tell you, I'm staying the night over at his place tonight." There was absolute silence in the room – it was so quiet, I could hear someone talking out in the hallway – and then it hit. She screamed. "Sssh!" I hushed her, sitting up again. I pushed my hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" She was bouncing excitedly on her bed, and clapping her hands. I sighed, and suddenly her clapping stopped. When I chanced a look in her direction, she was shaking her head.

"What?"

"That boy must be a vampire."

_"Excuse me?"_

"Obviously he thinks you taste good. Go look in the mirror." She gestured towards it, and I felt the heat rising to my face as I stood and went to look. I gasped. Not far from the fading hickey he'd given me previously was a fresh one. "What exactly do you do when you're together? Just make out and listen to music?"

"No," I said defensively. "We talk, too. And we've watched a movie before. And we eat together."

"Yeah, well, you need to watch his diet a little better. Apparently he's not getting enough iron." She laughed and dodged the pillow I threw at her.

"Is it going to show around the shirt I'm wearing tonight?" I wondered aloud, turning my eyes back to it in the mirror. I would never admit it to Angela, but I sort of liked that he kept marking me. It was almost like a mark of ownership, and I had absolutely no problems with letting the world know he and I were together.

"Definitely. It's right at the base of your throat! He had to know it was going to show up." I thought back to the previous night and exhaled in a puff of air.

"Yeah, I'm sure he probably did it on purpose."

"Why do you say that?"

"We sort of ran into Jacob yesterday, and-"

"Spill! See, this is what happens when you spend too much time with your boyfriend and not enough with your best friend! Tell me everything!" Before I could say anything, though, my phone beeped, indicating that I had a text message waiting. She sighed. "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." I rolled my eyes and picked up my phone.

_I want you so bad, it's driving me mad…_ He was quoting lyrics to me now? I shivered and started my return message.

_Are you proud of yourself?_

_What do you mean? Have I done something wrong?_

_I see the gift you left me. You did it on purpose so when I went out tonight, other people would see it._ I waited a few minutes, but there was no response. Angela raised her eyebrows at me. "I'm going to go brush my teeth and shower – I want details when I come back." I nodded absentmindedly. My phone rang the moment she'd left the room.

"Hello?"

"Are you very angry with me?" He sounded worried. I sighed.

"Not at all." I could hear him exhale.

"Text messages have one drawback," he posited. "I can't tell tone like when you're talking to me. I couldn't tell if you were angry or not."

"Not particularly. Was I right?" There was silence for a moment, and I wondered if we'd been disconnected.

"Yes. Does that make you angry?"

"Edward! I'm not angry at you, so stop asking!" No, I'd enjoyed it entirely too much to be angry about it. "Have you changed your mind about coming with us?"

"Sorry. I believe I'd rather have someone remove my eyes with a spork than go dancing with my _sister_." I giggled.

"So you're telling me that it won't make a difference that I'm going?" I heard him suck in a breath.

"I must admit, the thought of you and dancing together like that in a darkened room is very, _very_ appealing." My stomach did somersaults at the thought. "By the way… did you enjoy the CD?"

"Pervert," I accused.

"Why am I a pervert for asking if you enjoyed it?"

"You don't want to know if I liked it, you just want me to tell you what I did to myself while I was listening to it!" I giggled, and when he didn't respond, I bit my lip.

"You're biting your lip, aren't you?" he accused. I gasped, and he made a sort of humming noise into the phone. "I knew it."

"Edward?"

"Yes, Bella?"

"I loved the CD. I could barely get to sleep last night. I was very tempted to call you and have you come pick me up." I could hear his breathing become uneven.

"Oh?"

"Yes. I loved it." I paused, wondering if I should share my discovery with him, since he'd quite obviously wanted to prolong my suffering last night with his actions yesterday. "And do you know what I realized?"

"Hmm?"

"Cold showers don't really help girls when they're… _happy_." There was silence, and then I heard a screech and a car horn blaring. "Edward? Are you okay?" I asked, panicked.

"I'm fine," he gasped, coughing. When he'd settled down, he groaned. "I should know better than to talk to you about this sort of thing while I'm driving."

"Are you on your way to class?"

"Yes. I was hoping to run into you today – will I see you before this evening?"

"Of course."

"I was thinking that you might want to go ahead and pack an overnight bag and let me take it when I see you – that way Alice can't bully you into packing something you don't want to pack." My heart thrilled at the word 'overnight,' and my stomach flip-flopped at the same time.

"That sounds good."

"Don't forget to pack a bathing suit."

"Do I get to molest you in the hot tub?" There was a split second of silence, and then I heard him swear.

"Damn it! Okay, I'm pulling over until we're finished talking." I laughed.

"I'm finished, I promise. I won't forget the bathing suit. Just drive safely."

"I'm trying, but talking to you isn't conducive to good driving." He chuckled. "I get too distracted."

"I'd think you'd be distracted every time you got into your car, knowing that I've been having naughty thoughts about us in it ever since that first kiss."

"Ha! Nice try, but I just pulled into a parking space. You're too late."

"I wasn't trying to make you wreck," I protested.

"Sure, sure."

"I wasn't! How can I molest you if you're in a hospital bed?"

"I'd be completely incapacitated then. Totally at your mercy."

"Wait a minute, I may need to think this one through some more." He laughed. I glanced at the clock.

"You'd better get to class, you're going to be late."

"You're right. I'll see you when I get out, okay? And Bella?"

"Yes, Edward?"

"I can't wait for tonight."

"I know, me too. Bye."

"Bye." After I was sure he was gone, I typed in a quick text message to him, quoting one of the songs he'd put on the CD.

_You've got magic inside your fingertips…_

I didn't have to wait long for his answering message.

_Screw this stupid class, I'm on my way over. We'll spend the whole day together._ My heart began beating uncontrollably.

_I'd like that. But don't start skipping classes and getting behind because of me._

_That happens to be one of my favorite songs of all time, by the way. Couldn't be a more accurate description of my feelings for you right now._

_The song is amazing,_ I agreed. _I got goose bumps when I heard it._

_Is that all that happened?_

_Like I'm going to tell you! Pervert!_ Angela walked back in and laughed when she saw I was still holding the phone.

"Are you addicted to text messaging now, Bella?" She shook her head. "At least get dressed while you're waiting for his messages."

"He wants me to go ahead and pack and give him my overnight bag when I see him later," I said, pausing over my underwear drawer for a minute.

"Wear something sexy under your clothes today," she said, her voice a warning. "Alice will put them on you herself if she has to." I rolled my eyes, but rather than argue with her, I pulled out a baby blue set of bra and panties. They were entirely made out of lace, but Alice hadn't let me buy anything else. Angela turned her back as I shed my pajamas and pulled them on, and I grabbed the jeans I was going to wear later (the ones that fit like a second skin – normally I wouldn't wear them during the day, but I was determined to make him sweat until he saw me again later tonight) and tugged them on. I had just finished zipping them up when my phone beeped again.

_I'm not a pervert, I just want to know if my songs affected you the same way yours affected me._

_I don't know, you never told me how mine affected you._

_I didn't? I thought it was the first thing I showed you when I saw you yesterday morning._ I thought back, and couldn't suppress a shiver at the memory of that first kiss.

_Oh! I remember now._

_I thought you might. I'm hurt that you needed a reminder._

_Didn't need a reminder of the kiss, just why you did it._ I sat the phone down and rifled through my closet for a shirt.

"Wear the red one that Alice wanted you to," Angela said, shrugging. "Then you don't have to pick out two different shirts today."

"But I don't want to wear that shirt around campus," I whined, shaking my head. She rolled her eyes.

"Then wear that soft blue long-sleeved shirt." I frowned.

"Why did she insist on my getting nothing but close-fitting clothes?" I grumbled, pulling the offending garment off of the hanger and tugging it over my head. I sighed. "Look. If I try to raise my arms above my head, it shows my stomach!"

"So don't raise your arms above your head today," she said simply. I tugged the brush harshly through my hair.

"Right." My phone beeped again.

"Let me brush your hair while you text. I don't want you to rip it all out!" She took the brush from me and clicked her tongue at me.

_Will I get a similar greeting today when we see each other?_

_I think I can manage that. _I smirked to myself. Angela sighed.

"I think we'll be lucky tonight to get you away from your stupid phone. Actually, I'm going to go ahead and call this one: Alice is going to forbid you from even taking it with you."

"I need my phone," I protested. I held it up and waved it. "It's my lifeline to Edward." She snickered at me.

"Geez, you are totally hooked, aren't you?" I felt myself blushing, and she handed the brush back to me. "I'm happy for you. Just don't ignore us girls tonight."

"I won't," I promised, forcing the phone down into my front jeans pocket. Angela rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to go to breakfast. Are you coming?" The thought of seeing Jacob made my stomach churn uncomfortably.

"No, thanks. I'll just get a granola bar from the vending machine later." She nodded.

"See ya!" And she was gone. I had just dabbed on the tiniest bit of clear lip gloss when the knock sounded on the door.

"Did you forget your keys?" I laughed, pulling the door open. I stopped laughing as soon as I saw the clear green eyes staring back at me, and his jaw dropped. "Edward," I breathed.

"I told you I was coming over," he said finally.

"I thought you were joking!"

"Can I come in?" I moved away and gestured him inside, and as soon as the door clicked shut, I turned around with the intent of kissing him within an inch of his life. As always, however, he beat me to the punch. Suddenly I found my back pressed up against the door, his hands were cupping my rear, and his mouth was devouring mine greedily.

Emboldened by his actions, I reached around and place my hands lightly on his rear. It was a delicious sensation – being able to touch him back the way he was touching me. As soon as he felt my hands, he moaned, and he pressed his hips against mine. I felt _exactly_ how happy he was to see me, and felt a corresponding heat pooling between my legs.

His tongue was plundering my mouth ruthlessly, and my thoughts were so jumbled that I couldn't hold on to one for long, so I gave up trying. After a few moments, my legs started to tremble, and I was sure I would have fallen if he hadn't been pinning me against the door.

He stopped kissing me long enough to try and catch his breath, finally withdrawing his mouth from mine and letting our foreheads touch. Both of our chests heaved as we drew in air, and he gave me a soft smile.

"Good morning, beautiful." I felt my cheeks heat up in response, and his smile widened. "You look – there aren't words."

"I think I've heard that before," I teased. I moved my hands up to rest on either shoulder, and he frowned until I started caressing his collarbone with my thumbs. His eyes slid shut. "Can we sit down now? My legs aren't going to hold me up for very much longer." He shot me a wicked grin before leading me to my bed, where he sat down first and then held his arms open for me. I sat down next to him and snuggled into him without hesitation.

"Did you not believe me when I said I was coming straight over?" He murmured, stroking my hair gently.

"I thought you were teasing. Like you said, it's difficult to understand tone in text messages."

"If you want me to go, I will."

"Don't you dare! You just got here. It's not polite to leave without visiting for a while." He chuckled.

"I meant what I said. You look incredible. That color is amazing with your hair and your eyes and-"

"Great," I sighed playfully. "Another Alice."

"Alice wouldn't say that she likes the way your clothes hug your curves, would she?" He trailed his fingertips lightly down my side to prove his point, and I shivered.

"Actually, she _did_ say that's why she wanted me to get certain outfits," I said. His fingertips didn't stop moving. Up and down, up and down – my brain was starting to feel fuzzy. "So what do you want to do all day?" I wondered aloud, before my brain got too addled for me to form coherent sentences.

"I'm pretty content just doing this," he murmured. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head. I looked up at him.

"So you skipped class just to hang out in my room and sit on the bed with me?" I couldn't hide the amusement that leaked into my voice.

"Who said that's all I was going to do?" My stomach felt like it had just started training for the Olympics – one flip, two flips… it was in overdrive.

"What else did you plan on doing?" I wondered aloud.

"I didn't really _plan_ on anything – but then, I never do, and yet somehow I always wind up with my hands all over you, don't I?" I shivered.

"Are you saying you don't like it when that happens?"

"That is the exact opposite of what I'm saying, Bella, and you know it." He grinned, and I could feel myself melting into a puddle of goo. "You know, I was thinking about something on the way over here."

"Not driving, obviously." He snorted at me and shook his head.

"I blame you for that."

"And I accept the blame. What were you thinking about?"

"You may as well pack an outfit for Friday night, too, and then you can get ready at my apartment for our date."

"At this rate, I may as well bring half of my clothes over to your place and leave them there. Your sister is going to want-" I stopped, realizing what I'd just said, and had the good sense to look properly horrified. "Oh, Edward – I'm sorry! I didn't mean it to come out like that, I just meant-"

"Why are you acting like I'm upset?" he laughed, and the motion of his chest caused me to shake with him as well. "I know what you meant."

"Good," I said, exhaling slowly. "Because I wasn't trying to go all crazy-clingy-girlfriend on you."

"Not that I'd mind that," He supplied. I turned my head so he couldn't see the stupid smile that had spread across my face. "Where exactly are you taking me? Perhaps the two of us can choose an appropriate ensemble for you – as fashion-challenged as my sister finds us to be." I giggled.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I guess I figured you'd just choose for us, and then I'll just foot the bill."

"Well that sounds very chivalrous of me, I must say," he said, chuckling. "Bossing you around and telling you where we're going, and then making you pay?"

"Don't worry," I reassured him, patting his chest. "I'm going to make you put out to make up for it." I swear, if he'd been taking a drink, he would have choked. His face nearly turned purple, and he had a random coughing fit. I couldn't help the giggles that followed as he leaned forward and I smacked his back.

"You really _are_ determined to kill me, aren't you?" He asked, once his coughing had calmed down.

I shrugged. "Not really. If you died, I couldn't molest you in your hot tub tonight."

"You _think_ you're teasing."

"No, I'm really not." I gave him a soft smile and put my hand on his knee. "In case you hadn't noticed, Edward, all I can think about is getting you naked." We stared at each other for a full minute, and then we both laughed.

After the laughter had subsided, he stood up. "Are you all packed and ready to go?"

I rose from the bed and began taking the books out of my messenger bag. "No – I'm lucky I had enough time to get dressed before you came over." I opened my top drawer and grabbed a handful of underthings, not really paying attention to what I was taking. Then I grabbed a loose pair of jeans from my closet, along with my hoodie and two more spare shirts. I didn't know what I was going to wear tomorrow, so I was basically just grabbing whatever colors caught my eye.

"No shoes?" He inquired, watching me thoughtfully.

"Oh, crap. Thanks for reminding me." I bent over and grabbed my silver heels and my silver ballet shoes out of the bottom of my closet. When I stood up and turned around, Edward was right in front of me, his eyes as black as midnight.

* * *

_**Edward's POV**_

All it had taken for me to lose control again was for her to bend over; my eyes fell on the tiniest scrap of blue lace peeking up from above the low waistline of her jeans. She turned around and saw me, and I could see her eyes widen slightly.

"Is something wrong?"

"I just can't keep my hands to myself," I mused aloud, letting my fingers trace the waistline of her jeans. She stared at me, and all I could think about was the first time I'd seen a scrap of her blue panties – and how all I'd been able to think about for several minutes after that was how good that scrap of blue would look on my bedroom floor.

I let my fingers wander around to the small of her back, and watched as her eyes slipped shut, silently giving me permission to do what I wanted to. The thought thrilled me and terrified me at the same time; that she trusted me enough to let me do what I would with her. I wasn't entirely certain that I was deserving of so much faith.

I moved behind her and looked down at the exposed flesh my fingers had just caressed, and saw the goose flesh. I felt powerful and the feeling was damn near intoxicating. I gently lifted the hem of her shirt, waiting for her to stop me, but she didn't so much as move a centimeter.

I let my fingers wander up her sides as slowly as I could possibly make them go, and I felt her shaking as I did. I leaned forward and breathed in her ear, "Are you cold, my Bella?" She shivered, but shook her head no. I turned her around, staying behind her as I did. "Please open your eyes." When she did, her eyes met mine in the mirror that we were both facing now.

She sucked in a quick breath, and I watched as her eyes fell to track the movements of my hands. When my hands had just about reached her breasts, I pressed a gentle kiss to the mark I'd made on her neck the night before. She exhaled slowly, and I kissed a little higher on her neck, not moving my hands.

"Edward," she whispered. I felt myself harden in response, but I didn't move my hips or my hands. I concentrated on her neck, placing another kiss there. On the fourth kiss, I opened my mouth and let my tongue slide along her skin for a brief moment. She reached up and gripped my forearms tightly with her hands, but made no attempt to slide them up.

"You really have no idea what you do to me, Bella," I whispered, my lips brushing the delicate shell of her ear as I spoke. She shivered.

"I know what I _want_ to do to you," she said, her cheeks aflame as she spoke. I stared at her face in the mirror. Her bold words had affected me when she'd sent me those text messages the other night, but it was so much different hearing them spoken face-to-face. It felt like molten lava was flowing through my veins.

She watched me in the mirror as I moved my hands up slightly, barely scraping the underside of her breasts, and her eyes rolled back in her head. The humming noise she made vibrated my chest, and I let my forehead drop to her shoulder.

"Can you smell smoke?" I mumbled. It took her a moment to get it, and then she laughed.

"You can't say you weren't warned," she said, smiling. I dropped my hands and wrapped my arms around her waist.

"I guess not."

"Well, why don't we get out of here, before you set off the alarms?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"I haven't eaten breakfast yet," she said. I reluctantly removed my arms from around her and watched as she picked up her bag. "How about you drive us somewhere, and I'll pay?"

"This doesn't mean that you get out of cooking for me," I warned, grinning at her. For some reason, she blushed again. She nodded.

"I wouldn't try."

"So you have everything you need, then? I don't want Alice to come looking for me if you forget something."

She glanced at her closet and bit her lip, apparently unaware that she was doing it. I quashed the urge to nibble on her lip for her, and watched as she pulled a few more things out of the closet and shoved them down in her bag. One of those things, I noticed, was that damned red top that she was going to be wearing tonight. I felt a hot stab of jealousy just thinking about all the men who would most certainly be ogling what was mine.

Jesus, I really was going caveman on her, wasn't I? _Mine._ As I walked her out of her room and down the stairs, it seemed as though all my mind could focus on was that word. Mine. Mine, mine, mine.

Would tonight be the night I would make her _wholly_ mine?


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"_**Assure me that it's okay to use my heart and not my eyes to navigate the darkness…"**_

_**-Hoobastank, "Crawling In the Dark"**_

_**Edward's POV**_

She was impossibly tempting.

She had been studying for nearly an hour now, and I was supposed to be doing the same, but I found it difficult to pull my eyes away from her. At present, she was lying across my bed on her stomach, while I sat on the sofa, entirely too far away. I watched as she exhibited what I could only assume were her normal study habits: sucking on her highlighter, kicking her bare feet in the air, scowling adorably at something she'd read, and generally being completely and blissfully unaware of how appealing she is.

Oh, hell - this was going to be a long damned night if I was going to keep up this train of thought.

I'd already been secretly considering going with her and my sister to the club. It was torture thinking of Bella in that outfit and imagining what the men there were going to say or try to do to her. I looked down at my right hand, and realized I'd been gripping the highlighter so hard, I'd snapped it in half. I stared at it in disbelief, barely comprehending what I was looking at.

_Crap. _Maybe I'm a little more of a caveman than I'd thought. And following the girls was sounding more and more appealing. I didn't want Bella to think I didn't trust her, because that was the furthest thing from my mind. No, it was other people I didn't trust – any warm-blooded male who got near her was not going to be able to keep her out of his lecherous thoughts.

"Edward?" Her voice startled me, and I jumped just a little bit.

"Huh?" And obviously I'm not as witty as I'd like when I'm in the middle of picturing men drooling over my girlfriend.

"Are you all right?" Concern was etched all over her face, and she'd stop kicking her feet.

"Yes, why?" _Oh, I'm all right, Bella. I'm just over here plotting the castration of every male in the city._

"You just looked… intense," she explained, studying my face carefully. I forced a smile.

"I'm fine," I lied, the words leaving a bitter flavor on my tongue. "I was just thinking about something." She opened her mouth, hesitated, and then took a deep breath before speaking.

"You know, if you've changed your mind about me staying with you tonight, I'm not going to be upset."

"Don't be ridiculous," I said, my words coming out in such a rush that I wasn't sure she'd understood them. "Of course I want you to stay here! I have something special planned for when you get back." Her eyes lit up.

"The hot tub?" she offered. I shook my head, and when she looked disappointed, my jeans suddenly felt uncomfortably tight.

"No – well, I mean, of course I wanted to swim, too, but that is not the surprise." I couldn't wait until she got back, and I prayed that Alice would keep her sober for me. If I didn't wind up going, that was.

"Give me a hint?" She begged, dropping her highlighter on the bed and rising to her knees.

"No."

"Please?" Dear God, I was _not_ going to let her leave my room at all if she kept pouting at me like that, Alice be damned!

"No!" I laughed at her look of disappointment.

"But I hate surprises."

"You won't hate this one. At least, I hope not. I will be very hurt if you do." She tilted her head to the side a little as she looked at me. A smile ghosted across her lips.

"All right. I'll trust you just this once." We were both startled by a knock at the door. I closed my book (I had been reading the same sentence the whole time we'd been "studying"), and dropped the broken highlighter in the trashcan on my way to the door. I flung it open only to be faced with a very impatient Alice.

"I didn't know you were coming straight over here," Alice huffed, pushing past me.

"Won't you come in?" I muttered, closing the door. She shot me a glare, which I ignored, and then turned her attention back to Bella.

"I hope you at least thought enough to bring your outfit to change into," Alice told Bella, crossing her arms over her chest and tapping her foot impatiently. I frowned at her.

"She's got everything she needs, you demanding little harpy," I informed her. She arched an eyebrow at me, but said nothing.

"Don't worry, I have everything," Bella reassured her, rising from my bed and stretching. I watched, mesmerized. Bella glanced over at the clock on my bedside table. "Isn't it a little early, though? I haven't eaten lunch yet, and Edward and I-"

"It's almost four o'clock," Alice protested, her features twisted with disbelief. "You two have had plenty of time to eat lunch. If you were too busy making out, that's not my problem!" I wanted to kiss away the blush that crept up Bella's neck.

"We weren't making out," she said defensively. "We were studying."

"Uh huh," Alice said, not convinced at all. I sighed.

"It would be difficult to make out with Bella when she's sitting on my bed, and I'm over here on the sofa," I said, gesturing to my sofa with my hand. I didn't miss the way Bella's eyes lingered on my fingers, and I hid my smirk from her.

"Whatever. Okay, grab your clothes, and we'll go get ready. Angela will be here any minute!"

"What about food?" Bella questioned as she went through the bag she'd packed. Alice frowned.

"Why do you have such a big bag? Do you not remember what-"

"After you're finished dragging me around, I'm coming back here to stay the night." Alice's eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hairline as she turned to me for confirmation.

"I thought it would be best, considering she's probably going to be exhausted." Alice gave me a thoughtful (though admittedly shrewd) look.

"You're not going to pull anything crazy, like following us to the club, are you?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," I lied. She frowned and opened her mouth, but thankfully Bella interrupted her.

"Alice? You didn't answer my question. Food?"

"Yes, yes, I'm going to feed you," Alice said dismissively, waving her hand. "Now come on!"

"Do you need any help?" I asked, eyeing the armful of clothes Bella was carrying. She sighed, but before she could answer, Alice chimed in.

"Nope. You stay here, Edward. This is a girls' night, and I want it to stay that way. I have a feeling that if I don't separate the two of you now, I'll never get Bella out of here."

I laughed when I saw Bella's fervent nodding behind Alice's back.

"Bye, baby brother." Alice led Bella towards the door.

"_Baby_ brother?" Bella asked, laughter in her voice as she followed Alice out the door.

"By less than a minute!" I yelled after them, rolling my eyes at Alice's pealing laughter as they descended the stairs. This was going to be a long night. I just hoped I would make it through unscathed until Bella returned and was safe within the circle of my arms.

_**Bella's POV**_

"Aren't you finished _yet?_" I begged Alice. I had been playing the role of Barbie Bella for the past two and a half hours, and I was _so_ over it.

"You shush; this is no more than what you deserve for withholding information from me," Alice quipped, applying more eyeliner, or eye shadow, or whatever the hell she was putting on me at the moment.

"Oh, come on, Alice," Angela said gently. "She probably just thought you already knew. After all, you do have this really strong intuition about things."

"I was preoccupied," Alice protested. I cracked an eye open to peek at her, and immediately noticed her red cheeks.

"With what?" I asked, opening both eyes as she dug through her makeup case for something.

"Um… just school stuff," she said, shaking her head. I glanced at Angela, who met my eyes. Yeah, neither one of us was buying it.

"What could possibly be so distracting?" Angela questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"A boy," I blurted. They both looked at me – Angela with laughter in her expression, and Alice with mixed interest and embarrassment.

"I don't know that he actually qualifies as a _boy_," Alice protested weakly. Angela giggled, and I raised my eyebrows at her.

"The guy from the mall food court?"

"The guy has a name," Alice said defensively.

"Well?" Angela asked. "What is his name, then?" Alice's expression softened, and she swept the makeup brush across my cheek.

"Jasper." I swear she sighed when she said it. Angela's smile widened, and I nodded appreciatively. "His name is Jasper Whitlock."

"Does he go to school in this area?" Angela wondered aloud, checking her reflection in the floor-length mirror.

"No, he doesn't go to school. He lives with his twin sister, and he works two jobs. He's trying to save up for school, though," she added quickly.

"Have you already met his sister?" I asked, trying not to sneeze as the makeup brush tickled the end of my nose. She nodded.

"She's beautiful."

"And?"

"I think she likes me, but she'll take a bit of getting used to." Angela and I exchanged glances.

"Does that mean that you and Jasper are getting serious?" Alice's cheeks turned pink, and Angela's jaw dropped. "You mean you've already-"

"You know my position on sex," Alice defended. "If you feel strongly enough about someone, I think it's okay."

"I feel the same way," I reassured her. She gave me a soft smile.

"You know I do, too," Angela chimed in. "I just didn't realize you felt like that about him. You haven't really talked about him very much."

"It's sort of private," Alice explained, dabbing something on my lips. "I feel very selfish, keeping him to myself all the time, but you guys will meet him when the time is right."

"Is that how you feel about Edward?" Angela asked me curiously. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, but I nodded.

"I like having time alone with him, because then I don't have to share his attention."

"Oh," Angela breathed. She looked deflated. "I hope I find someone soon, like the two of you have."

"What about that Ben guy?" I prodded. Alice's eyebrows shot up.

"Ben? Who's Ben?"

"Some guy she met at a frat party," I supplied. "And supposedly he's the best kisser in the entire world."

"Seriously? And you didn't mention him before now _why_?"

Angela was beet red. "Because I've only seen him that one time, and he hasn't called me back since then."

"Be aggressive," Alice chirped. "Call him. Don't wait for him to call you, boys don't think the same way we do."

"I didn't call Edward," I said, frowning. Alice laughed and picked up the jeans and shirt I was supposed to wear out tonight, shoving them towards me.

"Edward is the exception to the rule, Bella. I know my brother, and when he makes up his mind that he wants something, he stops at nothing to get it. He made up his mind pretty quickly that he wanted you."

I felt my entire body flush, and shed the clothes I'd been wearing. I pulled the club outfit on quickly, and frowned at Alice. "But he hasn't made up his mind. I've been doing everything I can to try and get him in bed, and he's resisted me at every turn."

"Just because he hasn't had sex with you yet doesn't mean he doesn't want to," she said reasonably, inspecting my clothes as Angela began working on my hair. "He is very old-fashioned, and he wants to do things the right way, I'm sure. Whatever he thinks the right way may be."

"I don't know how much more I can take," I confessed, surprising myself that I was even discussing this so openly with someone. "I am constantly on edge. I get hot flashes when he touches me. I want to molest him every time I even think about him, let alone when I get in front of him."

Angela smiled, and Alice nodded. "Trust me, I know how it feels. Not about my brother, _ew_," she amended, pretending to gag. Angela giggled, and I smiled weakly. "But I know what you mean. It'll be so worth it when it happens, Bella. You have to trust that."

"I do, but…" I frowned, and my heart pounded in my chest. "What if he doesn't want me anymore after that first time?"

"Are you really worried about that?" Angela asked, concern etched on her face as she peered at me in the mirror.

"Yeah," I admitted. I squeezed my hands together to stop them from shaking. "I want him so much, and it feels like I'll never stop wanting him. What happens if we have sex and then he doesn't want me anymore? He might be satisfied with-"

"Bella," Alice interrupted, her face deadly serious. "My brother has always been my closest friend. We know each other as well as any brother and sister ever could - and I am telling you, I have _never_ seen him react to a woman the way he's reacted to you. You have nothing to worry about."

"I'd be more worried about the opposite," Angela quipped, giving my hair a once-over with some kind of hairspray.

"What do you mean?" I coughed, waving away the hairspray.

"I'd be worried about having sex, and it being so good that you want it all the time."

"You think she's going to turn into a nympho?" Alice asked, laughing.

"You laugh, but then she'll be over here all the time. They may never leave his bed." I laughed nervously, but I had to admit the thought was appealing. To have that kind of intimacy with Edward, and to know that he enjoyed it so much that he could never get enough of it? No, if that happened, I was pretty sure I'd be okay with it.

"Geez," Alice scoffed. "She's gone all dreamy-eyed. Let's get her mind off of my brother, or she might decide to stay with him."

**EPOV**

I looked behind me, certain I'd worn a hole in the carpet from my pacing. I had been pacing for - I glanced at the watch on my wrist - thirty two minutes now. I had been warring with myself over whether or not to send her a text message asking how she was doing. As of yet, I had decided not to send one, but I was in agony, thinking of all of those lascivious men ogling _my_ Bella. I desperately needed something else to do.

**BPOV**

The club wasn't as bad as I'd thought it was going to be. It didn't reek, even though it was so dark that it took my eyes a while to adjust. As soon as we walked in, Alice disappeared, leaving Angela and I to fend for ourselves. I was glad that I hadn't brought any kind of jacket or purse, because I would definitely not have wanted to sit it down anywhere. We had barely taken two steps into the club before Alice reappeared holding drinks. I shot a look at Angela, who didn't look back at me, and took the proffered drink with a word of thanks. I took the cup and sniffed gingerly at it.

"It's non alcoholic," Alice informed me, rolling her eyes. "I guess my brother already told you about his experience here?"

"Um," I said, clearing my throat. "Not really, he just said he thought I'd be drunk when I came back, and I kind of want to be clear-headed tonight." Her eyes narrowed slightly and she pursed her lips together, but otherwise said nothing else about it.

"What are we waiting for?" Angela asked, tossing her already empty cup into the nearest trash can (which was already overflowing). "Let's dance!"

**EPOV**

I couldn't take it any longer. I pulled out my phone and looked at it. 8:49, and still no messages from Bella. Either she was having such a good time that she wasn't even thinking about me, or Alice had somehow prevented her from using her phone. Either way, it bothered me. I opened my phone and shot off a quick message.

**BPOV**

I was sitting at a booth in the corner of the room when my pocket started vibrating. It made me jump a little bit, but when I pulled it out, I smiled.

_I miss you. Can't wait to see you tonight._

I glanced up to make sure that Alice wasn't looking. She and Angela were currently dancing with some random guy.

_I miss you too. Wish you would've come with us._

I sighed and took a sip of the Cherry Coke I'd ordered. I'd been nursing it for about twenty minutes now, using my thirst and the heat in the room as an excuse to sit down and rest. My phone went off again, and I could feel the grin split my face in half.

_Are you having fun with my evil pixie of a sister?_

_Actually I am in a corner, hiding from her and Ang. don't like dancing._

_Have you danced at all?_

_Only when Alice makes me._

_So how many guys am I going to be forced to kill?_

I laughed. Caveman Edward was adorable. _Only one has been brave enough to ask me to dance, I promise._

_That's bad enough._

"Excuse me!" I jumped, startled by the voice. I looked up, and was actually relieved to see Jacob grinning down at me.

"Hey," I said, shoving my phone back into my pocket.

"What's the prettiest girl in the room doing sitting in a corner?" He wondered aloud, shaking his head. I shrugged and gave him a weak smile.

"I don't know how you could say I'm the prettiest girl here - especially not with Alice in the room," I said, nodding my head towards her. He turned and glanced around, then turned back to me.

"Boyfriend here?" I shook my head no, and he seemed to relax a little bit. "Care to dance?"

"Oh, I don't - I mean, I'm not coordinated enough for dancing. Bella plus dance floor equals tragedy."

"Sure," he said, reaching for my hand and yanking me up. I tried to protest, but he wasn't having it, and I hated to admit it, but I felt sort of relieved, not being alone anymore. I'd stretched the truth a little bit when I'd told Edward that only one person had hit on me… at least ten guys had asked me if I'd dance with them or if they could buy me a drink. Alice had shooed away the first few of them, and Angela had giggled and dealt with one or two more, but the truth was that I was tired of the club already. If Jacob hadn't been the one to make me dance, Alice or Angela would have, so it was better to dance with someone I was at least familiar with.

I frowned when he wrapped his arms around my waist, but he just grinned at me. "I have a boyfriend, Jacob."

"We're only dancing, Bells," he answered, rolling his eyes. "It's not like we're making out or anything."

"I know, but it doesn't feel right," I protested, my stomach fluttering nervously. I remembered all too well what a disaster our date had been, and that I had promised him I'd go out with him one more time to make up for it. Hopefully now that he knew about Edward, he'd let it go, and wouldn't hold me to my word.

"I'm not going to paw you," he sighed. "Unless you want me to."

"Excuse me?" I asked indignantly. He laughed.

"Well, a guy can always hope."

"I think this dance is over." I tried to extricate myself from his arms, but he held tight.

"Bella, I was kidding. Can't you take a joke now? Is that guy so serious that you're not allowed to laugh anymore?"

"You do not know anything about Edward," I said stiffly. "So don't presume to pass judgement on him."

"_Edward_," he spat, the sparkle gone from his eyes, "Doesn't deserve you."

"And you think you do?"

"I never said I did. You're too good for both of us." I stared at him as we swayed to the music. "For any man, really."

"Jacob, if this is you trying to sweet talk me -" I gulped. "You barely know me."

"I know enough to know that I like you." I opened my mouth to reply, but the response died on my lips. The look on his face was … intense, to say the least. He really was beautiful, with his olive skin and dark hair. For a brief moment, I wished that things could be different, and that I could return his feelings for me. Then I thought of emerald colored eyes and an unruly mop of bronze hair, and long, pale fingers, and the moment was gone.

"I have to go now, Jake." I pulled myself away from him, and this time he didn't stop me. I wondered if he had seen my resolve waver for that brief moment, and it worried me. If he had, he might never give up pursuing me - if he had even the tiniest shred of hope to cling to, he would. He was much like me in that way. He looked sad as I forced myself to smile at him. "Thanks for the dance." I turned and forced my way through the crowd, looking for Alice and Angela. Angela was dancing with a tall redheaded guy, but Alice was nowhere to be found.

"Hey, Ang?" I tapped her shoulder, and she jumped slightly. Her partner shot me a dirty look. "Where's Alice?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just ready to go."

"I don't know. I'll help you look for her." She started to move away from the guy she'd been dancing with, but I held up my hand.

"That's okay," I assured her. "You guys have fun, I'm going to call it a night."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I'll call a cab."

"Be safe," she said, still looking concerned.

"I always am." I walked through the club and stepped out into the cool evening air, inhaling deeply. The club allowed smoking, and the air had been thick and heavy with it. I pulled my phone out and noticed that Edward had sent me another message after Jacob had approached me.

_Are you still there?_

I dialed his number, and he answered before it had a chance to ring once.

"Hello?"

"Edward, I hate to ask you this, but can you do me a favor?"

"Anything - is everything all right?" He sounded so worried.

"Everything's fine, I was just wondering if you could come and get me."

"Absolutely. But you're sure everything's fine?"

"I'm fine," I said, laughing.

"What time shall I-"

"How about now?" I interrupted.

"I'm in the car."

"You're so chivalrous, coming to my rescue." I giggled, and I heard him chuckle at the same time.

"No, I'm selfish, coming to take you away so I can have to all to myself - finally."

"Okay. I'm out front. I'm going to hang up now, because I know how you are when you're on the phone with me."

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

He hesitated. "I really missed you."

"I missed you, too. I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Goodbye."

"Bye."

I slid the phone back into my pocket and waited. It wasn't long before the silver Volvo pulled up to the curb in front of me, and I wondered how fast he'd been going in order to get here so soon. It should have taken him at least ten minutes to get to the club, but it had only taken him three.

I ran around to the passenger side before he could get out and open the door for me, and as soon as I'd shut the door behind me, he leaned over and gave me a slow, sweet kiss. When he pulled away, I felt myself smiling like an idiot.

"What was that for?"

"I told you, I missed you." He pulled away from the curb, and we were off. "You don't smell like alcohol," he mused aloud, arching an eyebrow. "I'm surprised."

"I'm sure I smell like smoke," I said, wrinkling my nose. "I don't drink."

"I don't drink either, but Alice still managed to get me drunk."

"Ah, but I bought my own drinks." He smiled at me. "I told Alice I wasn't going to drink before we went."

"I can't believe you were able to convince her to let you go so early."

I bit my lip and just nodded. His smile turned to a frown. "Does Alice _know_ you left, Bella?"

"Not… not exactly. I couldn't find her," I explained. He snorted with laughter. "I told Ang to tell her that I'd left, but I couldn't find her to tell her. And I didn't want to stay there another minute." I sagged in my seat, and even though I wasn't looking at him, I could feel his eyes on me.

"Did something happen?"

"Not really. I was just tired of being there. All I was doing was sitting in the corner, anyway."

He relaxed a little, and then gave me a brilliant smile. "Hopefully your night is about to get better. I have something planned."

I felt my heart flutter wildly. "My night's already better because I'm with you."

"Hey," he protested. "I'm the man, _I'm_ supposed to be the one feeding _you_ mushy lines like that."

"Really? Why?" I laughed.

"So I can get lucky later," he said, waggling his eyebrows. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Like you couldn't have gotten lucky about a zillion times before now if you'd wanted to."

"You're making this way too easy. It takes the fun out of it."

"I'm making what too easy? Sleeping with me? So now I'm a conquest?" I laughed again.

"I'm supposed to have to work for it, and persuade you," he protested, though he was smiling too.

"All right, I'll play hard to get from now on."

"That sounds like fun. I love a challenge. I'll break you before the week is out."

"Week?" I echoed. "Break me? Oh, man, are you in trouble." We pulled into his driveway, and he turned off the car.

"Don't think I can do it?" he challenged, a wicked glint in his eyes.

"How are you going to break me if I don't let you close enough to even hold my hand?" I asked, blinking innocently at him. I saw his surprised look before I got out of the car and headed towards the stairs that lead to his apartment, swaying my hips as I walked. I heard him shut the door and begin ascending the stairs behind me.

"You're not going to even let me touch you?" he asked, sounding out of breath. I reached the small landing in front of the door and turned to look at him.

"You already know you can have me whenever you want me," I replied, keeping my voice low. My efforts were rewarded when I saw his eyes darken. "So how would it be fair to let you touch me?"

He stared at me for a minute, holding my eyes with his as he unlocked the door. "Then the game is over. I can't be around you and _not_ touch you. That's the worst kind of torture." He reached for my hand and pulled me inside the apartment, closing the door behind us.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

_Oh, it's hard to see beautiful in your own eyes, but you make me beautiful for the first time…_

_- Katharine McPhee, "Home"_

**EPOV**

I couldn't stop staring at her. I had only been with her for twenty minutes, but they had been twenty glorious minutes. Her outfit was just as stunning on her as I remembered it being in the dressing room of the store she'd purchased it from. The red of the blouse looked good against her pale skin, and the jeans that she wore were so tight that they left little to the imagination.

"Edward, are you okay?" she asked finally, giving me a concerned look.

"Of course," I said, snapping back into reality. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just looked like you were staring off into space."

"Not at all. I was just thinking about something. Are you ready for your surprise?" Her eyes lit up, and she smiled.

"Yes, even though I hate surprises, I have been wondering all day what it could be. If it's just me and you here…" she said suggestively, biting her lower lip. I bit back a groan. "Then it can't be all that bad."

"As if I would ever give you a _bad_ surprise," I muttered, smiling. Her smile widened.

"Well?"

"Well, what?" I teased. She rolled her eyes.

"Where is my surprise?" She watched as I picked up a remote control and turned the stereo on. A soft, slow melody was playing. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as I turned the lights off and lit several candles that I had placed around the room. When I returned to her, I held out my arms. She moved forward, and I wrapped one arm around her, and reached for one of her hands with my free hand.

"Um, Edward," she murmured, clearing her throat.

"Yes?" I began to sway with her to the music.

"I don't dance."

"I know."

"Then what are we doing?"

"Dancing."

"Edward, I-" I touched my lips lightly to hers to silence her. It was more than effective; her eyes slipped shut and her breathing became irregular.

"I want to dance with you," I whispered, my lips now barely touching the delicate shell of her ear. She shivered. "I think it will be quite… _enjoyable_ for both of us."

"This whole seduction scene is nice, but unnecessary," she replied, her voice shaky. "When it comes to you, I'm a sure thing."

"I'm not trying to seduce you," I answered, completely honest. All I had really wanted was to be close to her and hold her - to try and show her without words how I felt about her.

"Oh, but you _are_," she breathed, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips. I covered her mouth with mine again, reveling in the softness of her lips, and feeling powerful from the effect I was obviously having on her. When we parted, she drew in a shaky breath and looked at me with hooded eyes. "What woman hasn't dreamt of being romanced like this? Look at all the trouble you went to - and I have a feeling that you're not even really trying," she accused. I grinned.

"Do you like this song?" I asked, purposely changing the subject. She listened for a moment, letting her eyes close as she absorbed the music.

"I love it, actually," she admitted, her eyes still closed. I forced myself to swallow to try and get rid of the desert that had suddenly become my throat.

"It's about you." Her eyes flew open and she stared at me. "I mean, I finished my CD for you."

"Edward," she breathed. The voice continued to croon to us both… _Come on, let's fall in love - you're the woman I've been waiting for…_

"I hope I'm not scaring you too much right now," I confessed, extremely nervous all of a sudden. I'd been so sure that this was a good idea at the time I'd planned it… but now, actually in the moment, I wasn't so certain.

"How can you do this to me?" She begged breathily. I blinked in surprise.

"Pardon?" I saw the tears welling up in her eyes, and I felt the stirrings of panic.

"How can you do this to me? You're alluding to the idea that you might be falling for me, and it makes me want to jump you that much more, and you won't let me." She pouted, and my heart went soaring. I chuckled.

"Expressing my feelings makes you want to sleep with me?"

"Absolutely," she swore, her gaze falling from my eyes to my mouth. She moved closer, pressing her body against mine, and I barely held back the moan that threatened to slip out. "Just being _you_ makes me want you."

"It seems that I could have saved myself some trouble by just burning you this one CD, as opposed to the spontaneous combustion mix _and_ this one, then."

"Edward, there's not a hell of a lot that you're going to do that's _not_ going to make me want to sleep with you." I stared at her in disbelief for a moment, and then laughed. _God, I love this woman._

"Well, let's try to behave ourselves - at least for the duration of the dance, agreed?"

"No dirty dancing?" She pouted. I laughed again.

"Are you that coordinated?" She frowned and was silent for a moment, and I wondered if I had said something wrong.

"Maybe sex is a bad idea, after all. I may lack the basic coordination skills for that, too." I pressed myself against her, being sure to let her feel the effect she was having on me, and was rewarded by the widening of her eyes and the gasp that escaped her.

"I think we'd be fine," I reassured her. She nodded, and we were both silent as we swayed to the music. Several songs came and went before I forced myself to pull away from her.

"What are you doing? I was actually having fun." I raised my eyebrows. "Well, the touching you part was fun, anyway." I chuckled at the way her cheeks flushed at her admission.

"I thought you wanted to get into the hot tub."

"Screw the dancing," she said quickly, turning around to locate the bag she'd brought with her earlier. I laughed.

"Seriously? You're that eager to-"

"Yes!" She grabbed a handful of something, and my stomach did somersaults. Whatever she'd run to the bathroom with looked like a scrap of material, not an entire bathing suit. I took a deep, albeit shaky breath, and shed my jeans. I'd already put my trunks on earlier, and I'd take off my t-shirt once we got to the hot tub. When Bella emerged, I was a little disappointed to see that she was wearing a blue satin robe. On second glance, I decided that the robe was sexy as hell - it stopped just above her knees, baring the rest of her shapely legs. Damn - I may not make it out of this encounter unscathed, after all.

"Lead the way!" She commanded. I laughed and offered my hand to her, which she took immediately. She was so trusting - I just hoped I was worthy of her trust.

I led her out of my apartment, down the stairs, and around to the back of the main house. I didn't miss the widening of her eyes when she saw the in-ground pool, and I smirked to myself. I pulled her inside the small gazebo where the hot tub was, and I heard her suck in a quick breath. The hot tub area had been a genius move on Emmett's part, I had to admit. The walls of the gazebo were white trellises, covered in climbing vines that held fragrant flowers. I released Bella's hand and pulled my shirt over my head, discarding it on the tiled ground beside the hot tub, and I descended the steps into the hot water. When I turned around, it was all I could do not to drool - Bella was untying the robe slowly. When she finally opened it and let it slide down her shoulders and off of her arms, I was left staring hungrily at her exposed flesh. The bikini she wore barely constituted a bathing suit - it didn't even look substantial enough to be deemed underwear. The top was comprised of two triangles that were doing their best to try and restrain her breasts, but were failing miserably, as the sides of her breasts were clearly visible. Straps were tied behind her neck and back, and I was sure they would snap at any moment, they looked so thin and fragile. And the bottom of her suit was as effective as the top; it seemed to be one painfully small triangle held up by thin straps tied at each hip. I swallowed convulsively as she stepped into the water. If I didn't attack her and have my way with her by the time we got out of the hot tub, I'd be canonized as a saint.

Have I mentioned yet that I'm not particularly religious?

**BPOV**

It wasn't like I'd never seen bare male skin before. I mean, I'd seen every male member of the high school track team shirtless, as well as the guys on the swim team. I'd stayed after school plenty of times and watched the varsity football team practice plays, and they occasionally took off their shirts, too. And those guys had definitely been _way_ more ripped than Edward was.

But for some reason, my eyes kept straying to his bare chest anyway. And my eyes were particularly drawn to the beads of water that clung to him greedily, because all I could think about was how much I wanted to lick them off of him. The thought made me blush, and I forced myself (with what felt like Herculean effort) to tear my eyes away. When I glanced up, he was giving me an odd look.

"Are you all right? Is the water too hot?" Concern was obvious in his voice.

"No, the water's wonderful," I reassured him, smiling. He seemed to relax a little bit, and his crooked grin surfaced. I eyeballed him for another second before asking what I'd been wondering for the past half hour. "Why aren't you sitting next to me?"

"Um," he cleared his throat and ran wet fingers through his already tousled hair. "I should think the answer to that would be obvious."

"Apparently not," I teased, smiling wider to try and encourage him to talk to me.

"I want you," he said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Okay… so you should be sitting _next_ to me instead of _across_ from me, right?"

"No. I don't want to lose my already tenuous grasp on my self control." I couldn't help myself, and I threw back my head and laughed. When I looked back at him, he was giving me a puzzled smile. "Sexually repressed Edward rears his head." His eyes widened slightly, and then he laughed, too.

"I'm not repressed," he protested, grinning. "I'm simply waiting for the right time and place."

"I think a hot tub would be a really fun place," I hinted. He laughed.

"So eager to be deflowered." I remembered him saying that during one of our texting sessions, and it made me smile. I'd been smiling so much around him in the short time we'd been together that my cheeks were starting to ache from it. Being around Edward made me happy, and it was a kind of happiness that I'd never experienced before. My heart swelled and I was overcome with emotion.

"I love you." _… _it just slipped out. I hadn't even realized I'd said it aloud until I saw his jaw drop open and his eyes widen. I felt the heat flood my cheeks immediately, and I dropped my eyes, focusing on the surface of the water.

"Bella," he breathed, and suddenly the surface of the water broke into ripples from his movements. My eyes were still downcast. His body moved into my field of vision, and I saw his hand move towards me. An instant later, he slipped a finger beneath my chin and gently forced my head up. Nervously I lifted my eyes to meet his, and I was immediately glad I was already sitting down. His beautiful emerald eyes were dark and intense. "Please don't hide from me. Do you mean it?"

I bit my bottom lip nervously, but forced myself to nod yes. I didn't have time to wonder any longer if I should have said it or not; his mouth covered mine and all rational thoughts flew out the window.

**EPOV**

"I love you."

My heart froze at the sound of her spoken declaration. A moment later, it felt as though it began beating more steady than before, as though strengthened by her words. I watched as she turned a rosy pink, adoring the color on her cheeks. Belatedly I realized I should probably respond to her, rather than sit and bask in the warmth that was now radiating through my body.

"Bella," I said. She didn't move. I practically jumped across the hot tub in an effort to get closer to her, slipping and nearly submerging myself completely in the water as I did so. I looked up and saw that she was still looking down at her lap. I extended a finger and forced her chin up so she would look at me. "Please don't hide from me. Do you mean it?"

I watched as she caught her bottom lip between her teeth, and then her head moved ever so slightly, indicating that yes, she meant it. My mind and body went into overdrive, and I pressed my lips to hers.

She responded to me so passionately that it made my head spin. Suddenly her hands were in my hair, gently tugging and making it feel as though someone had made the water a thousand times hotter. I let my hands drop below the surface of the water, seeking out the soft exposed flesh of her hips. When I found my target, I let my thumbs trace slow circles on her satiny skin. She shivered and opened her mouth to allow me access.

After several minutes of frenzied kissing, I began planting open-mouthed kisses down the delicate line of her jaw. She tilted her head back, allowing me more access. I nuzzled the sensitive spot below her ear, delighting in the sharp breath she inhaled. She dug her fingernails into the skin of my scalp, and before I could stop myself, a low growl escaped me. I kissed my way down the side of her neck, hyper aware of the way her hips had started undulating beneath the water. When I sank my teeth into the tender flesh between her neck and shoulder, her moan was so loud that it startled both of us.

I froze, realizing what I'd just done, and feeling like a barbarian. I laved the bite with my tongue and pressed several kisses to the reddened skin.

"God, Bella, I'm so sorry," I murmured, pressing my forehead to hers and squeezing my eyes shut in embarrassment. "I didn't - I don't know what came over me."

"Edward - in case you hadn't noticed, I wasn't complaining." My eyes flew open and I was met with a sight that I knew I would remember the rest of my life, and would _definitely_ replay in more than one fantasy. Her eyes were dark and hooded, and her lips, slightly swollen from the kissing we'd done, were barely parted. I felt a tug in my groin, and I was almost afraid I was going to orgasm just from looking at her.

"But I- I _bit_ you," I protested feebly, already feeling the desire to do it again. All over her body, if possible.

"Not hard," she breathed, her fingers still moving in my hair. I fought the urge to close my eyes and wallow in the sensation. "I liked it."

"I left a mark," I said apologetically, pulling a hand from the water to trace the faint outline of the bite with my finger. Her eyes slipped shut and she shivered again.

"You do like to mark me," she said finally. My eyes flew to hers, and I was surprised to find her smiling at me. "And I don't really mind. I actually kind of like it. It makes me feel like I belong to you."

I felt a surge of possessiveness well up and overtake me. I yanked her closer to me, surprising both of us with my sudden ferocity, and pressed her body against mine as tightly as I could manage. "You _are_ mine." I covered her mouth with mine, plundering it ruthlessly with my tongue, and felt overwhelming satisfaction as she whimpered into my mouth. She responded in kind, kissing me back as hard as she could.

"Dude!" We jumped apart at the sound of Emmett's voice, and Bella slipped and went under the water. I grabbed her and pulled her up, and she spluttered as she reemerged. I shot Emmett the darkest look I could manage, but he was wearing a shit-eating grin that just wouldn't stop. "Sorry, man, I didn't realize the hot tub was occupied!"

"Well, now you know it is, so you can leave."

"Bella, right?" He squinted at her, and the possessiveness I'd felt a moment ago flared up, inciting me to move in front of her. He didn't need to see _my_ girlfriend in her current state of undress. That sight was for my eyes only.

"Yes," she said, coughing once. "And you're Emmett." He grinned again, apparently pleased that she'd remembered his name.

"Yeah. Look, I'm real sorry. I didn't expect… I mean, Edward doesn't usually…" I stared daggers at him, wondering if he could even see my expression in the darkness. "Do you guys need me to bring you anything?" Now _that_ surprised the hell out of me. Not that my brother was always a complete ass, but still… he never went out of his way to do anything for me. We usually kept our distance, and things seemed to work out that way.

"No, thanks, I think we're good."

"Alice is home, bro, so it's probably a good idea to avoid the house," he said, glancing in the direction of the driveway.

"Does she seem okay?" Bella asked, suddenly sounding nervous. I reached out and found her hand with mine, and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"She's piss drunk," Emmett said, laughing. "It's always funny to see her get drunk."

"But she doesn't seem… mad?"

"Naw, she's pretty happy at the moment. The blonde guy with her probably had something to do with that, though." I felt my eyebrows shoot up.

"She brought a man home?"

"Does she not normally do that?" Bella asked, glancing between us. I shook my head.

"She's never done it." Emmett rubbed the back of his neck, and I realized why he was still outside with us. He was _nervous!_ It was one thing to be a man and bring home a woman - it was another thing altogether to watch your baby sister bring home a man. I felt myself soften a bit towards him.

"Well, don't expect us to invite you in here," I remarked, watching as Bella bit back a smile. Emmett grinned.

"No way. No offense to you, of course," he said, nodding at Bella. "It's not that you're not pretty, it's just - _yuck_. My brother? Gross." He walked towards the driveway, keys jingling in his hand as he moved. "You keep that shit to yourself, man." Bella and I laughed together, and when the laughter had died, she gave me a rueful smile.

"The mood was ruined, huh?"

"Trust my brother to be a cockblocker anytime he can, intentional or not." Her cheeks turned scarlet, and I realized what I'd said. "Not that I meant that we were-"

"It's okay, Edward," she said, laughing. She pressed a quick, chaste kiss to my lips, and withdrew just as quickly. "I know what you meant." I sighed and ran my damp fingers through my hair.

"Well, since the mood here is ruined, can I interest you in a change of scenery? Are you hungry?"

"I actually really enjoy the scenery," she said, her voice laced with suggestion. I felt my eyes widen, and she giggled. "But I _am_ hungry, now that you mention it. What did you have in mind?"

"Let's get dried off, and then I'm taking you out." I rose from the water, shivering slightly as the cool evening air collided with my skin, eradicating all traces of the warmth that the water had imparted to me. She stood, and I was completely obvious as I ogled every centimeter of exposed flesh. She blushed, so I knew that she was aware of my staring, but she said nothing.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked, reaching for her robe. I stilled her hand and handed her a fluffy towel I'd brought outside earlier. She said thank you, but glanced at her robe, and then back at me.

"I like that robe, and I'd like to see you wear it again tonight - and you can't if it's wet," I explained, completely adoring the way her lips curved up even as she flushed pink. "And I was thinking we could go to that new Japanese Hibachi bar that just opened up on Cotton Avenue." Her eyes lit up, just as I'd hoped they would. I knew she loved Japanese, and I was determined to do everything I could to please her tonight.

_Everything._

**BPOV**

I finished tugging my jeans on and quickly yanked the buttery yellow t-shirt over my head. The shirt was one that Angela had chosen for me (citing that it would go well against my dark hair), but Alice had had the final say in the matter, and had made sure that it was a baby tee and hugged my curves as tightly as it possibly could. I saw in the mirror that the shirt ended just above my navel, but no matter how hard I tugged on it, it would not go any lower. I finally gave up with a frustrated sigh and walked barefoot out of Edward's bathroom.

"Wow." I turned to see him standing in front of his CD collection, his jaw hanging a bit loose. I caught my lower lip between my teeth and tried unsuccessfully to suppress a smile. His reactions to me always made me feel so beautiful, powerful, and wanted.

"Not appropriate?" I wondered aloud.

"Um." He swallowed, and exhaled slowly. "It should be illegal to look that good, Bella. In fact, it probably _is_ illegal in some places." I laughed.

"Should we just order some take-out?" I asked, trying to make myself sound innocent. I may have fluttered my eyelashes at him at one point, too… hey, if there was any way I could get an advantage, I was going to take it. His eyes narrowed and his breathing seemed a little labored, but that could have just been my imagination too, right?

"As tempted as I am to do just that - and believe me, I _am_ tempted - it would be criminal of me not to take you out, looking as good as you do." I was strangely disappointed, until I realized that he was staring at me.

"What? Is something wrong? Do I have a stain somewhere?" I glanced down at my jeans, and then my shirt, inspecting them for anything that could be wrong.

"Nothing is wrong, it's just-" He faltered for a moment, and then gave me that heart-stopping crooked grin. "I have to admit, I think it's insanely sexy to see you walking around my apartment like this - like you're at home here. I especially love that you're barefoot." I looked down at my feet, and wiggled my toes for good measure.

"Edward," I said slyly. "Do you have a foot fetish that you neglected to mention?" He turned beet red, and then coughed uncontrollably for a minute.

"No," he said, between gulping in mouthfuls of air. "I just think your casual look is sexy as hell." I blushed.

"This is anything _but_ casual," I assured him. "The jeans are so tight I can barely breathe, and the shirt kind of makes me uncomfortable."

"Why?"

"Well… look at it. It's just not like me to go around showing off so much skin like this." I gestured to the exposed skin of my stomach, and his eyes darkened. Slowly - so slow that it seemed like slow motion - he crossed the floor to me. I watched, mesmerized, as his hand reached for me, and his fingertips gently touched the skin just above my the waistband of my jeans. My skin erupted in goosebumps.

"I kind of like it that you sometimes show off for me," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. I closed my eyes and let the sensations wash over me - his touch, his voice, his warm breath. I only opened my eyes when he withdrew his touch. He was grinning at me again, and I smiled.

"I only ever show off for you." I felt my cheeks flame. Apparently my mouth was determined to get me in trouble tonight, since it wasn't working in tandem with my word vomit filter like it normally did. His eyes widened slightly, and then he laughed. Loudly.

"Good. I hope you never show off for anyone else." I sucked in a quick breath. Was he making a declaration to me? Did he even realize what he'd said? "Ready to go get some food?"

"Yes. I'm starving." The adrenaline rushes I kept getting were taking a lot out of me, and I wanted to have enough energy for whatever he had planned later - no matter what it might be.

We had a lovely late supper together. We held hands in the car on the way to the restaurant. We squeezed each others' knees beneath the table. We fed each other. We ogled each other over coffee in a crowded coffeehouse afterwards. We discussed things that were important to us, like music, books, family, and what we wanted to do with our lives. I learned that Edward's father desperately wanted him to go into medical school and become a doctor like he had, and to some extent, Edward wanted the same thing - although he really wanted to pursue music as well. I revealed to him that I wanted to be an author, and even told him something that I'd never told anyone else before - I wanted to write romance novels.

If I was honest with myself, all the talking we were doing was turning me on in the extreme - even more than the flirting and touching had done. He was communicating with me; giving me an inside look at him and his world and everything it entailed. The fact that he was so open with me got me hotter than anything else. I prized honesty above all else, and I absolutely loved it when he scrunched up his nose as he admitted things to me - because that was a sure sign that he meant what he said. I wondered if he even realized that he did that.

I surprised myself by opening up about my past in Forks, and telling him about my friends there. I told him about my Dad, and laughed when he made a nervous comment about dating a police chief's daughter. I swiped away angry tears when I told him about my mother, and he listened attentively. My heart swelled when he reached for my hand across the table and squeezed it, and I squeezed back as though my life depended on it.

Then he opened up to me about his biological mother. I hadn't realized that he, Alice, and Emmett hadn't always been Cullens. He told me that his mother's last name had been Masen, and she had gotten pregnant when she was 15. She hadn't known who the babies' father was, and couldn't have handled them even if she'd tried, since she was a drug addict. She'd gone to a clinic where she wanted to have the children aborted, but the kind doctor there talked her out of it… and had adopted the triplets when they were born. Dr. Cullen and his wife, Esme - clearly she'd hung the moon, the way Edward spoke of her - had always been the only parents the three had ever known, and he was more than okay with that. I was beyond touched that he'd shared all of this information with me.

"You'd love them," he said softly, smiling at me. "Esme will love you, too."

"She will?" I questioned, my heart pounding so loudly in my ears that I was sure he could hear. "Does that mean I'll get to meet her?"

"Absolutely, and soon," he promised. "She's going to want to know why I sound so happy when she talks to me." My heart swelled. He wanted me to meet his mother? It meant more to me than I think he could fathom. And just like that, there were too many people around us, and we needed to get back to his apartment. I wanted him - if it was possible, even more than I had wanted him before.

"Edward?"

"Yes?"

"Can we leave now?" He frowned slightly.

"Did I say something wrong? Because I didn't mean-"

"It's not that at all," I said, my breathing becoming erratic. I licked my lips, which suddenly felt dry, and his eyes honed in on them. "I just… I want to be alone with you now." His eyes shot up to mine, and he watched me for a moment before comprehension dawned.

"_Oh,"_ he said, understanding finally. He got up so quickly that he knocked over the chair he'd just vacated, and I stifled a smile. He extended his hand, and I grabbed it, hanging on for dear life. He sped all the way home, and I teased him about my Dad, telling him he was lucky that we were hundreds of miles away. He just smiled that amazing smile and stroked my knuckles with his thumb.

Once we were back at his apartment, I grabbed my bag and excused myself to the bathroom before anything could happen. I rifled through it, realizing belatedly that I hadn't packed any sexy sleepwear, and cursing my lack of forethought. I exhaled a frustrated puff of air and frowned… and then my eyes alit on the clothes that were hanging on the back of Edward's bathroom door. A perfectly pressed pair of black slacks and a white button-down shirt hung from their respective hangers, just staring me in the face. A slow grin spread across my face as an idea took hold. I dug through my bag again, and this time my hand emerged with two scraps of lace, both baby blue in color. I quickly removed all of my clothes, pulled on the matching bra and boy shorts, and then with only a moment's hesitation (would he get mad that I'd taken something that belonged to him without my having asked first?), I removed the white shirt from its hanger and pulled it over my head. I unbuttoned the first four buttons, noting that the shirt gaped so much that my bra was clearly visible.

I took a deep breath, and opened the bathroom door.

When I emerged, I saw that he'd relit the candles that had been burning during our dance. He currently had his back to me, and was pressing play on the stereo's CD player. He was already in his pajamas, which were a simple t-shirt and a pair of plaid flannel pants. Feeling more nervous than I thought I would, I began to play with the hem of the shirt, which touched the middle of my outer thigh.

"What are we listening to?" I asked, forcing my voice to stay as steady as I could make it.

"Just some Debussy." I watched as he put the empty CD case on top of the nightstand by his bed. "You were in there a while. I was starting to wonder-" His voice died abruptly when he turned and saw me. The smile he'd been wearing disappeared immediately. I watched as his eyes dropped to the floor, traveling upward slowly, raking across my body as they did. My heart leapt inside my chest, beating so hard that I was afraid it might break free of my ribcage.

"Fuck," he breathed softly, when his eyes reached my chest level. I raised my eyebrows. I'd never heard him say that particular swear word before. It was doing funny things to my already unstable nervous system. When his eyes finally met mine, I gave him a weak smile.

"I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your shirt," I said, my voice all but a whisper. "I didn't pack any decent pajamas."

"That is the most _indecent_ thing I've ever seen in my life," he replied, his voice husky. "I wish I owned a damned camera, so I could take a picture. You look glorious." I grinned, and suddenly found that I wasn't glued to the floor anymore. I crossed the room and wrapped my arms around his neck. I felt his hands barely touching my waist, and I frowned slightly.

"Does that mean you're mad at me?" I wondered aloud.

"I couldn't be mad at you if I tried," he answered, his gaze dropping from my eyes, to my mouth, and then straight down the open shirt. I bit my lip as his eyes met mine again. "To what do I owe this pleasure? I know you brought pajamas, Bella. I was there when you packed."

"I didn't say I didn't pack pajamas. I said I didn't pack any _decent_ pajamas," I reiterated.

"And you consider this decent?" His thumbs were tracing slow circles on my hips.

"Well, it's definitely better than the old ratty t-shirt and sweatpants I packed," I said, hearing my voice catch as he let his hand drop. Now his fingers were playing with the edge of the shirt, consequently brushing the skin of my upper thigh as he did.

"I have to concede with that. I don't think I'll ever be able to wear this shirt again, though."

"Why not?"

"It could never look as good on me as it does on you."

"Edward?" I whispered, my lips mere centimeters away from his.

"Hmm?"

"Are you going to kiss me or not?"

I saw his smile just before he covered my mouth with his. He pressed several light, chaste kisses to my lips, and I sighed. When his tongue sought entrance to my mouth, I opened myself to him, embarrassed by the moan that escaped my throat when our tongues finally met. I felt him grip my hips with a bit more force, and tangled my fingers in the back of his hair.

We stayed like that for a while, just kissing. After what seemed like an eternity, his mouth left mine and kissed a trail down my jaw line. He paused for a while to attack the sensitive spot just below my ear, and I let my head fall back as I gasped for air. I could feel his smile against my skin as he moved down my throat, assaulting it with his lips and tongue, until he stopped to concentrate on the small patch of skin he'd bitten earlier. He kissed it almost reverently, and I felt myself shudder.

I fisted my hands in his hair when he sucked lightly on my collarbone, and was rewarded with a groan from him. Then I realized that we were moving; I opened my eyes slightly and saw that he was slowly guiding us towards his bed. We couldn't get there fast enough for my tastes, so I extricated my hands from his hair and grabbed his arms, dragging us quickly to our destination. He looked confused at first, but when I fell back onto his bed and held my arms out to him, he got the idea. I kept waiting for him to protest; to stop our progress and tell me that it was too much, too fast - any of his previous objections to furthering our intimacy - but he did none of those things. Instead, he joined me on the bed, and when his face was hovering above mine, he gave me the sweetest, most heartbreaking smile I'd ever seen.

"I love you," I whispered. His eyes darkened and he lowered his head to catch my lips up in a dizzying kiss. I was hyperaware of his hand as it ghosted up and down my side, and when he lightly grazed the side of my right breast, I moaned loudly. He made a noise that sounded like something between a laugh and a growl, and then his mouth was on my neck. I felt him suck hard, and I knew I would have a mark there. He pulled away slightly and caught my eyes with his before attending to my - _his_ - shirt.

He unfastened each button at an agonizingly slow pace, and I was beginning to squirm beneath him because of the anticipation. When he'd finally gotten the last button undone, he slowly pushed the shirt open, letting it fall down around my sides. I watched, my cheeks flaming, and hoped that he wasn't disappointed with what he saw.

"So beautiful," he murmured, tracing the exposed curve of the top of one of my breasts. I shivered and felt goosebumps rise on my flesh. He lowered his mouth and began placing light open-mouthed kisses to my collarbone and the skin just below it, and my entire body felt like it was being engulfed in flames.

**EPOV**

Was it to my detriment or Bella's that I hadn't stopped to consider the ramifications of what we were about to do? Did it even really matter? She'd told me she loved me. I had no doubt that I loved her. It felt right - it felt natural. Being with Bella was as easy as breathing.

To see her writhing under me… that was a visual that I would keep with me for the rest of my life. She was the only woman that I ever wanted to see like this again, and I'd be lying to myself if I didn't admit that the thought scared me.

I pushed it to the back of my mind and bent to capture a lace-covered nipple in my mouth. When I did, she arched her back and pushed into me. I fought to maintain control of myself; I was ready to end everything right then and I hadn't even taken my pants off yet. I would be beyond embarrassed if that happened.

I spent a while caressing her breasts through her bra with both my mouth and my hand, and just when it seemed like neither of us were going to be able to handle it any longer, I moved the fabric out of the way and my tongue came into contact with her bare skin. She began panting, and I let my hand wander slowly down her stomach. I finally let my fingers dip down to touch her on top of her panties and I felt the wetness there, and I moaned _- loudly_. Her hips jerked up at my light touch. I hooked a thumb under the waistband of the garment, beyond ready for it to be gone. She obliged me by sitting up and removing all of her clothes - the shirt, bra, _and_ the panties. She tugged on my t-shirt, and as fast as I could get it over my head, it was gone. My pants weren't far behind, either.

Finally it was just she and I, with no boundaries between us. She gazed into my eyes with complete trust, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. I squeezed back the tears that sprang to my eyes, and I caught her mouth up in a soft kiss. After a moment, when the tears no longer threatened, I let my mouth trail down her neck again, working my way back to where we'd been moments before. She stopped me when I dipped my tongue into her navel, squeezing my shoulders gently to get my attention.

"Edward," she breathed.

"Yes, love?" The endearment had just slipped out, but her eyes looked like they were shining after I'd said it.

"As much as I'd love to draw this out, I really just want to be with you now." I felt my stomach clench with anticipation, and kissed a trail back up to her lips.

"Are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," she whispered, her eyes locked with mine. "Please, Edward - I just want to be yours." I held her gaze as I entered her, loving the way her eyes closed just the tiniest bit even though they stayed focused on mine.

"Edward." She spoke my name like a benediction as her nails raked down my bare back. I moved inside of her as slowly as I could. It was agonizing, trying to go slow to draw out her pleasure, but I wanted to be good for her. She bit down on her bottom lip, and it was my undoing. I covered her mouth with mine, using my tongue to mimic the movement of my body with hers. She moaned into the kiss and I responded in kind, amazed at the way we seemed to fit perfectly together.

I felt the sweat beading on my forehead and my back as I continued to move inside of her. She began to raise her hips to meet my thrusts, and I sucked in a couple of breaths, trying to gain control. It wasn't working. She dug her nails into my shoulders, and I moaned, not noticing that my thrusts had increased in speed. It felt as though only a moment had passed before I felt her walls tighten around me, and she moaned my name. My release crashed over me like a tidal wave, and I fell on top of her, still encased in her warm sheath.

After several minutes, when we'd both had a chance to catch our breath and let our heart rates slow down a bit, I turned to find that she was watching me.

"Are you okay?" I asked, lightly caressing her cheek with the back of my hand. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Why, do I _look_ like a woman who's been hurt?" she asked, laughing softly.

"No, you're resplendent." I pressed a light kiss to her shoulder, and the smile she gave me was dazzling.

"Resplendent? Edward, you _just_ got into my pants. You don't need to try and impress me with big words." I laughed with her. "Unless you're already trying to get into them again."

"It looks to me like you're not wearing any pants for me to get into," I remarked, stroking the bare flesh of her hip with the hand that wasn't touching her face. She smiled for a minute, and then her eyes seemed to glitter at me in the candlelight.

"You've made me incredibly happy," she whispered.

"You've made me incredibly happy," I said, echoing her words back to her. She smiled again, and I moved to her side, holding my arms out to her. She snuggled into me immediately, and the last thing I remember before falling asleep was her whispered declaration of love.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**BPOV**

The morning after was not something I had ever experienced before, so to say I was nervous about the state of affairs between Edward and would be the understatement of the decade. Of the millenium, even. I had already been seized by the fear that, now that we'd "done the deed," he'd grow tired of me and decided he'd gotten everything that was useful from me.

I woke up countless times during the night, my anxiety increasing each time. Edward seemed to be pretty happy, as far as I could tell; he barely even moved. I even had to poke him a few times to make sure he was still alive, he slept so silently. His grunts made me stifle giggles.

At seven thirty, no matter how I tried, I could not get back to sleep. So instead I opted to get up and pull his white shirt and my panties back on, and then crawl back into bed to watch him sleeping. Creepy, I know, but he was so beautiful I just couldn't help myself. I had been fully prepared for him to deny me sex last night - especially because he didn't seem to have made up his mind whether or not he wanted to go that far. Well, his body told me he wanted to bad enough, but the rest of him had seemed conflicted about it.

I sighed quietly and caught my bottom lip between my teeth, chewing thoughtfully on it. Would he be upset this morning, to find me still here? Surely he wouldn't, since he'd invited me to stay the night, right? I thought back to the scene between us in the hot tub, and exhaled silently. I wasn't stupid; I was well aware of the fact that in my word vomit, I'd admitted to loving him… and I knew that he hadn't returned the sentiment. I wasn't terribly worried about it… yet. Hopefully in time he would grow to love me. Right now it was enough for me that he liked me and enjoyed my company, because as sad as it was, I knew that I would take him in any capacity in which I could get him.

Edward had changed me irrevocably.

He mumbled and shifted slightly in his sleep, and I smiled. When he had settled down, I lifted myself from the bed and padded silently into his kitchen area. The only bad thing about his living in a loft-like apartment was that everything was open, so if I made noises he'd be able to hear them. I tried my best not to make too much noise as I searched through his cabinets looking for coffee, and when I found it, I filled the pot with water and started it brewing.

I leaned against the counter and chewed my thumbnail as I watched the coffee brewing, hoping that the noise wouldn't carry far enough to wake Edward. I was so lost in thought remembering the events of the previous night that I was oblivious to everything else going on around me in the room - therefore I nearly peed my pants from surprise when I felt a pair of arms snake around my waist.

"Ohmygod," I breathed, raising a shaky hand to my chest. I heard his soft chuckle in my ear, and I shivered.

"Did I scare you?" His voice, still scratchy from sleep, was the most erotic thing I'd ever heard. I bit down on my bottom lip to prevent the moan from slipping out.

"Yes, just a little bit," I answered softly, hugging his arms to me. It was a relief to see that he wasn't particularly upset that I was still in his apartment.

"I see you found the ambrosia," he teased, laughing. I giggled.

"I _love_ coffee," I said, turning in his arms to face him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he tugged me closer. I gasped when I felt his erection pushing against my stomach, and after a quick glance down between our bodies, he gave me an apologetic smile that I didn't believe for a second.

"I can't help it," he explained. "Seeing you in my shirt, and remembering last night…" His voice trailed off, and I felt my breathing hitch.

"Are you wanting a repeat performance, then?" His eyes darkened.

"Do you?" Instead of responding with words, he pressed his lips against mine, and almost immediately his tongue pried my lips apart. The thought nagged at me that I probably had really bad morning breath, since I hadn't brushed my teeth yet, but he didn't seem to care. I shuddered when his hand snaked beneath the bottom of the shirt and began caressing the skin of my back. I disentangled myself from him long enough to reach under the shirt and yank my underwear off, tossing it carelessly to the side. His eyes widened, and then he gave me that smirk that I thought was so adorable.

"Eager, are we?"

"Oh," I said, blinking my eyes at him in mock surprise. "You don't want to? Well, I can put them back on-" I made a move to pick them up, and his arms tightened around me, preventing me from moving.

"I don't think so, love," he murmured. I felt goosebumps rise on my skin at the endearment, but before I could think on it any longer, he'd hoisted me onto the counter. I sucked in a quick breath. Did he really want to have sex with me on the counter? My heart began racing.

"Are you okay with this?" he whispered, his breath a warm caress on my lips. I nodded, unable to find my voice to tell him that he was actually fulfilling one of my fantasies… sort of. I fully admit to being a romantic sap - ever since seeing the movie "Pretty Woman" I had entertained fantasies of having sex on a piano (hence some of my excitement when I'd found out that Edward actually played). I ran my tongue across my lips, trying to rid them of the dryness that suddenly pervaded my entire mouth. His eyes darkened again, and he pulled me closer, so that I was half on the counter and half hanging off.

I felt him position himself at my entrance, and when he slid into me, I moaned and rested my forehead against his. His breathing was unsteady at best; he was taking shallow breaths and I could see the rising and falling of his chest. I felt a sudden unexpected surge of confidence and power - _I_ was doing that to him! After a moment of stillness, he began moving inside of me, and my eyes rolled back in my head.

"God, Bella," he muttered. I bit down on my lip and concentrated on the feeling that was overtaking my body. I was in love with this man, and to participate in this, the ultimate act of love with him - well, it was more than a little overwhelming.

Sex was not just sex to me. It wasn't just a matter of physical gratification, or else I would have done it before now. God knew I'd had plenty of offers - I just wasn't interested in sleeping with someone that I had even lukewarm feelings for, let alone complete strangers. Edward was different. As corny as it sounded even to my own ears, Edward was special.

I felt myself approaching the edge of the cliff, amazed at the sensations he was creating in me. Right after my orgasm had rocked my entire body and made breathing difficult, I heard Edward groan. I opened my eyes and was surprised to see his already open and focused on mine, and I watched, fascinated, as he reached his climax, too. He sucked in several deep breaths before he smiled at me.

"Sleepovers are fun, aren't they?" I teased, gently extricating myself from his embrace. I lowered myself off of the counter and retrieved my underwear, aware that he was watching as I pulled them back on. When I glanced at him again, he was frowning. "What's wrong?"

"You don't… I mean, when you…" He ran a hand through his hair, and I stifled a smile at the nervous gesture. "You don't do this sort of thing when you have sleepovers with other girls, do you?" He blurted. I felt my mouth drop open, and then suddenly the room echoed with my peals of laughter. His face turned red.

"Edward! Of course I don't!" He looked relieved, even though he was clearly still embarrassed. I pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose, and he hooked an arm around my waist.

"Good. I don't like the thought that you've done this with anyone else but me." I felt an uncontrollable honesty well up inside of me, and didn't stop to think before I answered.

"I never wanted to do this with anyone else before you." He stared silently at me for a few moments, and then a grin broke across his face like a sunrise. I cleared my throat and disengaged myself to move closer to the coffee pot, and my mouth began watering at the aroma. He leaned back against the counter and folded his arms over his chest as he watched me pull a mug from his cabinet and pour a cup for myself. Usually I took my coffee really light and really sweet, but the smell of this coffee was so different, I wanted to try it before I polluted it (as my Dad would say). I took a sip and let it roll over my tongue.

"This is amazing," I declared, taking another sip before reaching for the sugar. Edward chuckled as I spooned sugar into the cup, and then poured an unmeasured amount of milk in. "What?"

"I just find it funny that you've polluted coffee that costs well over a hundred dollars a pound."

My cup froze at my lips, and my eyes widened to what I'm sure were comical proportions. "I'm sorry, I must have hallucinated. I thought you said that it costs a hundred dollars a pound?"

"No, you heard wrong." I nodded with relief and took a sip. "I said _over_ a hundred dollars a pound." I choked on my drink and had to put the mug down so I didn't spill it.

"Shit!" His eyebrows shot up. "I'm sorry, I didn't know! It was in a container and it wasn't marked, and-"

"Bella, don't worry about it," he said, laughing. "It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" I echoed, dumbfounded. "I just made a pot of coffee that would probably cost fifty dollars, and you tell me it's no big deal?"

"That's exaggerating a bit. You didn't use half a pound." I stared at him. "Did you?" He sounded a little worried.

"No, I didn't." He relaxed. "Why do you even have such expensive coffee?" I picked up my cup and sniffed the beverage with the reverence it deserved, and he snorted.

"I don't like the cheap varieties." He said simply, shrugging as he did.

"What about Starbucks? Do you think that's cheap?" The way he wrinkled his nose was my answer, and I couldn't help the giggle that escaped.

"What?"

"My boyfriend is a coffee snob!"

"Do _you_ like Starbucks' coffee?"

"I did before this morning," I lamented, eyeing the mostly-full coffee pot. He laughed.

"Well, you're more than welcome to come over every morning for coffee, then."

"Please," I snorted, rolling my eyes. "I would deplete your supply _today_ if I could, let alone stretch it over however long it would take to go through a pound." He grinned at me.

"Let's make a standing date of it, then."

"Of what?" I tilted the cup back, draining the rest of the liquid.

"Coffee. You can come over here every morning for some."

"Edward." I stared at him.

"What?"

"You know that's not realistic. I can't come over every morning before classes."

"Why? Is it because of the distance, transportation, or just because you don't want to get up that early?" He laughed and I rolled my eyes.

"How can you afford to buy so much of this stuff anyway?" I asked, feeling completely decadent and thoroughly spoiled as I poured myself another cup.

"I told you, my parents-"

"Right, sorry," I said, stirring the pollutants into the coffee. "I forgot." I took a drink, and then tilted my head at him. "Didn't you want any?"

"Of course. You got up and made a pot of coffee for me - I am absolutely going to have some." I watched as he reached around me to extract a mug from the cabinet, and he ghosted a kiss across my cheek. He filled his mug and began drinking it black.

"I should've known you'd drink it black," I teased. He shot me an unapologetic grin. A moment later, I heard him sputtering, and I slapped his back, thinking he was choking on the coffee. "Are you okay?"

"Oh my God," he said, still coughing. "Is that really the time?" I frowned and he gestured towards the clock on the microwave. I glanced up at the digital display and nodded.

"Yeah, I think so."

"What time did you get up?"

"I haven't been up long."

"I think we should go back to bed, then," he said decisively. I arched an eyebrow at him, and he chuckled. "Not for _that_ - not right now, anyway." I smacked him lightly on the arm, and his grin widened. "You're abusive after intimacy, did you know that?"

"Edward," I said, laughing.

"Seriously, let's go back to bed. I'm tired, and I'll bet you are, too, since you didn't sleep well." I blinked at him. How had he known I hadn't slept well? "You were in _my_ bed, remember? Of course I'm going to notice if you're tossing and turning all night."

I felt my face burning. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you up." He moved closer and wrapped his arms around me, and I buried my face in his chest.

"You didn't keep me awake, love." I shivered at the endearment. Maybe it was the closest I was going to get to the declaration I'd made to him. He rubbed my back lightly. "I think maybe you had trouble sleeping because you weren't in your own bed, right?" I nodded, not wanting to admit that I'd been kept awake by stupid worries and fears.

He pressed a kiss to the top of my head, and led me back to bed. After he'd snuggled back down under the thick coverlet, he held out his arms for me. I went immediately, and despite the two cups of coffee I'd ingested, fell asleep almost as quickly.

**EPOV**

_Holyfuckinghell_.

I'm not usually one for heavy cursing (unless I'm drunk), but I didn't know what else to think or say about the morning's events. This woman - _my_ woman - was amazing. Last night had been amazing, too, but this morning… I mean, I'd had sex before. Plenty of times, actually. But I've never had sex on the kitchen counter - or in any room outside the bedroom, for that matter. I knew that Bella hadn't either, so it was a morning of firsts for both of us.

I also found it really funny that she was so enamored with my coffee, even though she obviously felt bad for making a pot of it after she'd found out how much it cost. To be perfectly honest, I'd never given its cost a second thought before. It was the same kind of coffee my parents drank, and it seemed natural that it would be the kind I liked, too. My parents may have money, but there aren't really that many things that they splurge on. Coffee is one thing that they do.

I pressed another kiss to the top of her head as we laid in my bed, snuggled together. I felt blissful; perfectly at ease with the world in general. If I had to imagine how it felt to be high on drugs, this would be how I thought it felt. My heart was soaring.

Bella's breathing finally steadied out as she fell asleep, and I sighed. I knew she hadn't slept well, because I'd awoken several times during the night myself, and had held my breath so she wouldn't know I was awake. She'd gone to the bathroom, she'd gotten up and looked out the window, and she'd just lain there and stared at the ceiling silently. I had to admit that while it was happening, I was worried that she just wanted to leave and was trying to figure out a good way to do so. When I'd awoken to an empty bed, I'd feared the worst - and then I'd smelled the coffee.

I hadn't realized it was possible to be so happy.

The whole scene in the kitchen felt very domestic to me - as though we were married. God knows I _felt_ like they say newlyweds feel; I wanted to touch her constantly, and just being in her presence made me giddy.

And the coffee… if the coffee would get her over here every morning for me to see her, I would order a year's supply right now. Dad would probably kill me, but it would be _so_ worth it. I might even do it later, after she'd woken up. Right now all the gold in Fort Knox wouldn't be enough to convince me to move.

I think I must have eventually drifted off, despite the deep desire to watch the woman beside me sleeping, because the next thing I knew, the sunshine was coming through the blinds at a different angle. Somehow we had managed to remain in the same position we'd fallen asleep in, which meant that my right arm was now completely numb from Bella lying on it. I lifted my head a little bit so I could see the clock on my nightstand. It read ten thirty. I rubbed my face with my free hand, trying to rub away some of the sleepiness I still felt, and Bella stirred.

"Mmm," she mumbled, snuggling closer to me. "I don't want to get out of bed."

"Then we won't." I pressed a light kiss to the top of her head, and I could swear I heard her purr like a kitten. I laughed, shaking us both as I did.

"What time is it?" She moved away from me slightly and stretched her arms over her head.

"About ten thirty, I think." She blinked at me.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." I grinned, and she gave me the most beautiful sleepy smile. My heart swelled at the sight of it.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"We went back to bed, and I think we may have wasted some of your coffee." I laughed again.

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella. Coffee can be replaced. A minute with you can't." Her cheeks turned red, but her smile widened.

"You think you're so smooth," she teased, sitting up. "Do girls really fall for that mushy crap that you feed them?"

"I don't usually feed girls mushy crap," I replied, smirking at the smile she tried to hide from me. "I usually don't care what girls think about me, period. Until you, I mean."

She leaned over and pressed a sweet kiss to my cheek, and then pulled away. "You're lovely, do you know that?"

"Shouldn't I be the one telling you that?"

"Lovely can apply to men, too," she protested. I grinned.

"Double standards, right?"

"Hate 'em." She yawned. "Hey, that CD that we danced to last night - do I remember correctly when I remember you saying that it was the one you made for me?"

"Yes."

"Does that mean that I can listen to it right now?" It was my turn to blush.

"I … I don't think so, Bella. I'd rather you took it with you when you left and listen to it when I'm not around to be completely embarrassed by it."

"Why would you be embarrassed by it?" she asked, clearly amused.

"It's just that-" Before I could finish my defense (not that I actually knew what I was going to say to her), I was saved by a knock at the door. "Who is it?" I called.

"It's me! Open up, I have important news!"

"She sounds awfully chipper for someone who was supposedly drunk off her butt last night," Bella accused. She retrieved her jeans from the floor and pulled them on quickly. I couldn't help but notice as I went to let Alice in that she hadn't changed out of my shirt or put a bra on. It made me fifty different kinds of turned on - but I also felt no small amount of pride at seeing her in my shirt. She was basically going to announce to Alice what we'd done by doing that, whether or not she realized it, and I loved her that much more for not being ashamed of it.

I opened the door, and Alice grinned at me. She pushed past me and ran to hug Bella. I was about to shut the door when someone else stepped inside. The guy was my height, though he had sandy blonde hair. He held out his hand to me.

"You must be Edward. I'm Jasper." I took his hand and shook it, sort of half pulling him inside as I did so I could shut the door behind him.

"Yeah." I stared blankly at him for a moment, and then it registered. He was the guy from the mall - and most likely the man Alice had brought home last night. "It's nice to meet you."

"Jasper," Alice began, dragging Bella over to us. Bella's cheeks were flushed pink, so I could only wonder what Alice had said to her. "This is Edward's girlfriend, Bella."

"Oh, hey! Alice has told me so much about you. It's nice to finally meet you." Bella smiled and nodded.

"It's nice to meet you, too."

"Wait," I said, holding up a hand. They all looked at me. "You mean you've talked about my _girlfriend_, but you didn't tell your boyfriend about your own _brother?_" Alice smiled at me, and Bella giggled quietly.

"She's talked about you, man," Jasper reassured me, clapping me on the back once. "And not all of it has been bad, either."

"Does that mean that some of it _has_ been bad?" I asked, my voice just a little higher than it should have been. Alice laughed.

"Not really, Jazz is just kidding, Edward." _Jazz?_ I blinked. "Anyway, I have something else to tell you. I wanted you to meet the love of my life, but I also wanted to tell you that Mom and Dad are flying out tonight. They're going to stay the whole weekend!"

"Whoa." I held a hand up as the words "love of my life" registered. Jasper didn't seem bothered by it whatsoever, and wrapped an arm around my sister's waist. "How long have you guys been together, then?"

"About a week," Jasper said, shrugging one shoulder. He looked down at Alice, hugging her tighter, and she gazed back adoringly. "It didn't take long for us to figure out that we have a really strong connection. Alice is going to be my wife someday."

I couldn't help it. My mouth dropped open, and I stared. After a moment, I found my voice. "Isn't that moving a little fast?" Bella elbowed me gently in the ribs, and I jumped. Alice giggled.

"He didn't say we were getting married today, Edward. He said someday. Besides, don't you feel that way about Bella already? You two are inseparable. Everyone sees the way you look at each other." I blinked again, and looked over at Bella, who was blushing profusely and chewing on her bottom lip. She didn't meet my eyes, and I wondered what that meant. Did she think about marrying me? It wasn't like I'd never thought about it, I guess I just hadn't thought that she had. I didn't know what to say to her, so I didn't comment on my feelings at all. She'd probably grill me later anyway.

"Mom and Dad are coming tonight?"

"Yeah. They really want to meet Bella and Jasper. Plus Emmett started dating this new girl a couple of weeks ago, and Mom is dying to meet her, too."

"Why? Emmett never stays with the same girl for more than a month."

"This one's different, Edward," she said simply. "I've met her. She's perfect for him. I think he's in it for the long haul this time."

"What?" I felt like an idiot. I was repeating myself, and I realized that I didn't even know what was going on with my siblings' lives… which was pretty sad, considering that we're triplets who live together. "I don't remember meeting anyone." Alice shot me a look that, had I not seen it every day of my life, might have made me cower in fear. I might have called it scathing, but it didn't really work on me.

"He hasn't actually brought her home yet. We've had lunch a couple of times."

"Yeah, she's really sweet," Jasper added. I frowned. Alice's new boyfriend had even met my brother's girlfriend before I had?

"Anyway, Mom and Dad said they were going to be here around ten tonight, so they wanted to know if we could pick them up from the airport."

"I don't think that will be a problem. Bella, is it okay with you?" I turned to look at her, and noticed that she was still chewing on her lip.

"If you're sure you want me to meet them," she offered hesitantly.

"Of course he does," Alice answered for me. She gave Bella a hug and whispered something in her ear that made her giggle. I glanced at Jasper, who shrugged and smiled.

"Girls," was all he said.

"So, do you two want to grab some lunch with us?" Alice asked, looking at me. "Or do you want to stay alone in your little bubble here?"

"Bubble?"

"You know, locked away in your own world, just the two of you." Well, given the choice, I always preferred the bubble. It meant having my Bella to myself, and not having to share her attention with anyone else. Bella looked excited, though, so I nodded.

"Lunch sounds good - so long as you don't get to hijack my girlfriend for the whole afternoon." Bella blushed and smiled that beautiful smile at me, and Alice rolled her eyes.

"Girls need girly time, too, Edward. It's a fact of life."

"Darlin', what do you say we give them a little time to themselves to get ready?" Jasper suggested. I realized that when he said the endearment, it made him sound southern. Alice tucked herself back into his side and nodded.

"Meet us in the driveway in twenty minutes?" she offered. Bella nodded.

"That sounds fine." Alice and Jasper left, and I stood there for a moment, staring thoughtfully into space. When I snapped out of it a minute later, I turned and saw that Bella was picking up her yellow t-shirt off of the floor. "What are you doing?"

"I'm changing," she said, her cheeks turning pink as she picked her bra up off the floor.

"Why? I like you in my shirt." She giggled at me, and I grinned back.

"Will you be able to eat lunch across the table from me while I wear it, or will you be trying to play footsie the whole time?"

"Who said I was going to sit _across_ from you? You're going to sit in my lap."

"Edward!" she pretended to be shocked, which only made me laugh harder. "I think it's better for right now for me to wear my own clothes. Maybe later I can wear your shirt for you again…" Her voice trailed off, and I cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Later? Does that mean you're going to come back here after my parents are here?" Her mouth formed a pink o of surprise.

"I didn't mean to - no, I won't, of course I won't, I just-"

"Bella!" I laughed and closed the distance between us so I could fold her in my arms. "My parents won't care if you stay over, if that's what you're worried about. I don't want to be away from you any longer than I have to, so you'd better be about to tell me that you're going to stay the night again tonight."

"Are you sure? They might want to take you out to breakfast tomorrow, and I don't want to get in the way of any bonding time."

"Bella, _please._ Wait until you meet my parents, and then you'll know why you sound utterly ridiculous right now. They will love you, and naturally they will want every moment they can get to try and get to know you. Besides, you're crazy if you think I'm willingly going to go to a family gathering as a seventh wheel." Bella laughed and pressed a quick kiss to my lips.

"Okay, I believe you. I'll stay with you."

"Are you going to stay in my shirt?"

"No, I'm going to wear my _own_ shirt, so I feel comfortable. And when I say my own shirt I don't mean one that Alice and Angela forced me to get." She went over to her bag and rummaged through it for a second, withdrawing a gray t-shirt. She turned around and held it up to me, and I laughed, which made her frown.

"What? What's wrong with it?" She looked at the front of the shirt, inspecting it for flaws. I shook my head and went to my closet, emerging with the exact same shirt. When she looked up and saw it, she laughed. "Did we go to the same concert, too?"

"Where did you see them?"

"Seattle."

"I saw them in Dallas." She gave me a strange look, and I shrugged. "It's not unusual for my brother and I to travel to see the bands we really want to see. Besides, my family just happened to be on vacation at the time, and we were passing through that area anyway." I watched as she pulled off my shirt and put on her bra, then pulled the _Beastie Boys_ t-shirt on. In the end, I was pretty proud of myself that I hadn't attacked her during the process, even though I'd wanted to.

She pulled a brush out of her bag and began to pull it through her hair while I got dressed. I replaced the shirt in my closet and pulled out a plain black one to go with the jeans I'd pulled on when Alice had knocked.

"Edward?" Her voice was soft, but something made me turn and look at her. She was sitting on the edge of my bed, staring down at her shoes as she tied them.

"Yes?"

"What are your parents like?" She bit her lip, and I ignored the heat the action ignited in my stomach.

"They're amazing. My dad, Carlisle, is a doctor, and my mom Esme is an Interior Decorator. That's where Alice gets it from - Mom likes everything to be beautiful. That's how I know she'll love you on sight." The blush that flooded her cheeks was adorable.

"God, you really are a schmooze, do you know that?" She laughed.

"I am being serious though. I know they will love you."

"Why? Were all of your other girlfriends so hideous?"

"Actually…" I cleared my throat and grabbed my own shoes. "Actually you're going to be the first girlfriend of mine that they've ever met." She was quiet for so long that it made me look up. She was staring at me with an unreadable expression, and I frowned. "Does that upset you?"

"I think it's wonderful," she breathed, startling me by running over and jumping on me, wrapping her legs around my waist. I staggered a little bit from the surprise, and then wrapped my arms around her.

"If I'd have known you were going to react this way, I would've told you sooner. I can tell you more things I've never done," I offered. She laughed, but before she could answer, there was another knock on the door.

"We're coming Alice!" Bella called. "We'll be out there right after I ravish him!" I laughed and set her on her feet.

"._God!_" Alice yelped. "Just get out here, already! We're starving, and since you're taking so long, we get to pick the restaurant!"

Bella laughed, and I followed her to the door.


	17. Chapter 17

**Absolute Beginners, Chapter 17**

_It's wanting more that's gonna send me to my knees…_

_~ John Mayer, "Gravity"_

**BPOV**

I was so freaking nervous. I mean, really, really nervous – the kind of nervous where your palms seriously sweat and feel slimy (until now I thought it was only something they made up in stories, but it was totally happening to me). I was kind of glad that Edward wasn't trying to hold my hand right now, because of how gross it felt. Oh, God – had I put on deodorant before we'd left? That would just be perfect, meeting my boyfriend's parents with wet pits… was it too late to go back home?

"Bella, are you okay?" Alice asked from the front seat. Edward turned to look at me, and I saw Jasper (who was driving) eye me in the rearview mirror.

"You look awfully pale, sugar," Jasper drawled. Edward flashed him a look I couldn't decipher, and then reached over to stroke my arm gently with his fingertips.

"Calm down," he whispered, pinpointing my issue without having to ask me what it was. "They're going to love you, and you're going to love them. I promise."

"And what if you turn out to be a big, fat liar?" I blurted. "What if they hate me?"

"If they hate you, I will deny my father and refuse my name." I rolled my eyes at his smirk, and sighed.

"Edward, seriously. I've never been this nervous in my entire life." He eyed me thoughtfully for a second, and then scooted as close to me as the seatbelts would allow.

"You're more nervous about meeting my parents than you were before sleeping with me?" he whispered, glancing to the front seat to make sure that his sister wasn't listening. Hah! Like that was even possible, with "Jazz" around to distract her.

"I wasn't nervous at all," I lied. He frowned at me. "What?"

"Bella, I can tell that you're lying to me. Your eye twitches." I pursed my lips.

"Fine, okay. I was a little nervous," I admitted. He looked smug. "But not because of the whole sleeping with you thing."

"Then about what?" he asked, looking confused. I bit my lip. Should I tell him? We'd agreed on brutal honesty, hadn't we?

"I was worried that once you slept with me, you'd be tired of me and not want me anymore." His jaw dropped and his eyes widened.

"Are you _high?_" he hissed. His hand covered mine, and he squeezed. "If anything, it's had the opposite effect. All I've thought about the whole time we've been in the car is how I'm going to get us both away from my parents so we can go back to my place!"

"Really?" I asked, trying to bite back a smile. I could feel my cheeks warming, and he shook his head. He grinned at me.

"What am I going to do with you?" he asked, sounding exasperated. "How can I convince you that you are completely irresistible?"

"You could _show_ me," I suggested, leaning towards him. He mirrored my movements and leaned in.

"Mm, I think that sounds like a brilliant idea." He pressed his lips lightly to mine. Before either of us could deepen the kiss, Alice made a gagging noise. Edward kissed me again (just to spite her, I think, but I wasn't complaining) and then pulled away, but kept his fingers laced tightly with mine.

"Bella, relax," Alice said, sighing. "It's just us for now. We're going to have a nice lunch together, then you can molest Edward some more, and _then_ meet our parents, okay? You have plenty of time before you have to worry about it."

I did relax a little bit then, but only because she'd thrown the part about molesting Edward in there. It was probably exactly what I was going to need – some vigorous physical activity to make me so tired that I _couldn't_ be nervous. But then – did I want to go meet his parents after engaging in intimate acts with their youngest son? Would it make me feel guilty, knowing that I was –

"BELLA!" Alice thundered. I turned surprised eyes to her.

"What? Geez, Alice, I'm right here – you don't have to yell at me!"

"In case you hadn't noticed, we're here." She gestured to the front window of the car, and I realized that we were parked in front of the restaurant.

"Sorry." I peeked at Edward, who was stifling a smile.

"You don't need to daydream about getting my brother naked," Alice accused, pouting. "You can sex him up later. Right now you can pay attention to me." Edward's cheeks went up in flames, and it was my turn to giggle.

"Is it that obvious?" Edward whispered, after Jasper had exited the car. Alice nodded and rolled her eyes as Jasper opened her door for her.

"Painfully. You guys have been giving each other 'come-hither' eyes ever since we left your stupid apartment. See if we ever invite you guys to go out to eat with us again."

"Like you haven't been giving _Jazz_ goo-goo eyes," I accused, getting out of the car. She sniffed and pretended she hadn't heard me.

"Exactly," Edward chimed in, closing the distance between us and reaching for my hand again. "You're one to talk."

"I can't help it if my boyfriend is fuckhot," Alice explained. I stopped mid-step and turned to Edward, arching an eyebrow at him.

"_Fuckhot?"_ he mouthed silently. I shrugged, and we both laughed. Alice flipped us off over her shoulder.

"Are you guys gonna come in and eat with us, or not?" she whined. We began walking again.

"Sorry, I was just talking to your _fuckhot_ brother," I retorted.

"Yeah… I had to stop and ask my _fuckhot_ girlfriend something," Edward supplied. The corners of Jasper's mouth turned up, but he said nothing. Alice glared at us as we were seated.

"So, Edward," I began, kicking his foot gently under the table. "Had any _fuckhot_ girls in your car lately?"

"Only my amazing _fuckhot_ girlfriend," he replied, reaching for the soda the waitress had just placed in front of him on the table. I knew we were just doing it to razz Alice, but I had to admit that hearing him use the word was making me wish we'd stayed in his apartment. I didn't know why, because I despised people who cursed all the time (I mean really, are those the only words some people know?), but hearing Edward curse was hot. Especially when he'd said it last night after he'd seen me wearing his shirt.

"Yeah, and your _fuckhot_ girlfriend is getting turned on by you saying the word _fuckhot_, so you'd better stop, because I want to have a decent lunch where she actually speaks to _me_." Alice sighed. Edward shot me a look, and I shrugged helplessly. I couldn't deny it, but I wish Alice hadn't outed me over it.

"His _fuckhot_ girlfriend is going to beat you mercilessly about the head and neck area with her purse if you don't cut it out, Alice," I said sweetly.

"Who are you kidding?" Alice asked incredulously. "You didn't even _bring_ a purse."

"So… I'll use my shoe," I supplied, nodding. Edward and Jasper exchanged amused looks.

"You mean that ratty old Chuck Taylor?" Alice asked, scrunching up her nose.

"Ratty?" I shrieked. "I'll have you know that I love these shoes!"

"There's not enough left of them to hurt, even if you _did_ hit me with one! They're worn out! And don't tell me you're wearing them because they're the only shoes you have, Bella Swan, because I helped you pick out eleven pairs!"

"Helped me pick out?" I asked shrilly. The boys were outright laughing now, and didn't even have the decency to try and hide it. "More like forced on me, you mean!"

"You didn't have to buy them all."

"What!" I shrieked. Edward laughed, and Alice frowned at him.

"Careful, buddy. If you don't take her side right now, you might be sleeping alone tonight." Edward choked on his mouthful of soda, and Jasper thumped him on the back.

"All right there, Edward?"

"You… uh, you wouldn't do that to me, would you, Bella?" he asked tentatively. I couldn't help it; the stricken look on his face made me giggle.

"She wouldn't," Alice said, her expression softening. "She loves you too much." Edward smiled brilliantly at me and reached for my hand across the table.

Lunch passed quickly and uneventfully after that. It turned out that Jasper was a really nice guy, and though quiet, he was also pretty hilarious. I think Edward laughed a lot because the only other choice was to hate him for sleeping with his only sister… but it all worked out. I was glad on the way home that Alice and Jasper were involved in their own deep conversation, because it gave me time to decompress and plot and scheme how I was going to get Edward to ravish me again when we finally got back to his place.

"Okay, you have some time to yourselves now," Alice announced as we exited her car. "Ravish away. Just remember that you need to be finished by five." Edward glanced down at his watch. I glanced at the clock that was on the dashboard – it was barely one.

"Watches synchronized," he announced, saluting her. Jasper laughed, and Alice rolled her eyes.

"You are _such_ a dork. What does Bella see in you, anyway?"

"And _you're_ such a catch," he shot back, tugging my hand.

"At least I have awesome fashion sense," she called, as we ducked into the door of his apartment. I stuck my head out.

"But my _fuckhot_ boyfriend trumps your fashion sense!" I called. For the second time that day, she flipped me off.

"What a ridiculous word," I muttered, pulling the door shut behind me. Edward snorted from across the room, where he had already kicked off his shoes. He pulled his t-shirt over his head, and all I could do was stare at the skin he'd bared.

"I know. Alice has a propensity to pick up odd slang from people she's close to," he explained. I watched him lay down on the bed and fold his arms behind his head. He focused on me, and I tried to focus on not hyperventilating. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I slipped off my shoes and blew them a kiss. "I don't care what Alice says. I love you, my awesome, kickass Chuck Taylors. No other shoe will ever fit me like you do, baby." Edward laughed.

"Should I be jealous of your shoes?" He wondered aloud.

"My fuckhot boyfriend be jealous of my shoes?" I repeated, touching my forefinger to my chin and pretending to mull over my statement. "Hmm."

"Are your shoes as fuckhot as me?"

"Can shoes even _be_ fuckhot?"

"Can we stop saying fuckhot now?"

"I thought you'd never ask." He laughed again, and I smiled, feeling a tiny bit awkward. I mean, he'd basically stripped (okay, so he'd only taken his shirt off, but come on – he was lying on the bed, and he had to know I'd be thinking all kinds of naughty thoughts, right?), and he hadn't motioned me over or anything… so what was expected of me? Was he ready for me to leave?

"Hey, it's getting lonely over here," he protested, giving me a mock-pout. Okay, so there was my answer. I smiled and began walking towards him as slowly as I could.

"You're lonely? I would've thought you'd want to be alone, after all of the annoying girl-talk at lunch."

"I'd rather be with you than with anyone else in the world," he breathed. I hesitated for a moment, and then launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck (as much as I could while he was lying down).

"God, you're a schmooze," I muttered, smiling.

"You like it."

"Guilty as charged," I admitted, sighing happily and snuggling closer to him. I was completely blissed out when he moved his arms and wrapped them around me.

"You didn't eat very much at lunch," he finally said, his voice soft. "Is everything okay?"

"It's fine – why wouldn't it be?" I murmured.

"I was just wondering… well, the thought _had_ crossed my mind that perhaps you might regret-" I pressed my fingertips to his lips gently to shush him.

"Don't even bother finishing that ridiculous statement. I'm the one who kept pressuring you, remember? I don't regret a single thing." His expression relaxed, and he pressed a kiss to my fingertips. "Well, I might regret letting Alice talk us into leaving your apartment, but other than that, no regrets."

He laughed quietly. "Are you as exhausted as I am? I'm not used to this much physical activity in one twenty four hour period."

I smirked at him. "Aw, did I wear you out?"

"A little, yeah," he admitted, yawning.

"So I guess that means no round three?" I asked innocently. His eyes, which had just drifted closed, were immediately open.

"Round three?" he echoed. I shrugged and resumed my former position, lying half on his chest.

"It's no big deal. I bet a lot of men your age get tired quickly." I bit my lip at the growl I felt rumble his chest. Before I realized what he was doing, I was on my back and pinned to the bed. He had pinned my wrists above my head with his hands, and he was straddling me. The dark look in his eyes made me shiver with anticipation.

"Were you just calling my manhood into question?"

"Manhood?" I echoed, giggling a bit. The movement caused us to rub together in an interesting way.

"You know what I mean," he said, his eyes sparkling wickedly. I chewed on my bottom lip and craned my neck to see exactly how he'd pinned my hands, but I couldn't. Before I could move again, his lips were attacking my neck, peppering it with frenzied kisses. My eyes slipped shut and I gasped. It seemed like he was trying to devour me and talk to me at the same time, but I only caught bits and pieces of the words, and even then I wasn't sure I understood everything right.

"Manhood… neck… warned… bite… show you…" Oh, no. I'd heard that last one, clear as day. I shivered again, and he released my hands, reaching down to grab my shirt by the hem and pull it up. I raised up as much as I could and tried to help him get it off. Once it was airborne, his mouth was fastened to my skin again. He kissed down my neck and across my collarbone, and then his mouth was on the exposed swell of my breast. I arched against him, effectively pushing my other breast into the hand that had been cupping it, and I heard him groan.

"Want you so bad, all the time," he mumbled into my skin. I felt the goose flesh rise on my arms. Did he mean it, or was it just some kind of pillow talk? I didn't have time to contemplate, because suddenly the lace of my bra was pushed to the side and his mouth was fastened to my nipple. I moaned, and he sucked harder. My hands found his bare back, and I tried to be gentle as I scraped my fingernails across his skin. He growled again and released his hold on my breast, only to move to the other one. I arched my back and tried to press myself against him to ease the rapidly growing ache between my legs, but all I accomplished was shoving my nipple further into his mouth. He whimpered softly and shifted himself so I could grind my heat against the bulge in his jeans.

"Edward, please," I begged, my head thrashing back and forth on his pillow. I was already keyed up emotionally because of his words, and physically I felt as though I were a piano wire- pulled taut and ready to snap at the slightest pressure. His mouth felt amazing, but I wanted more. We could take things slow another time… many, _many_ other times. I reached down between us and flicked open the button on his jeans. He seemed to get the point, because suddenly I was cold – he'd stood up and was shedding the offending garment. I rose quickly to my knees and pulled my jeans and panties down in one swift yank, but before I could shrug them completely off, I was pushed onto my stomach. I felt him pull the jeans down over my legs and toss them, and then his weight was heavy on my back. I reached up and grabbed the wood of his headboard just to have something to hold on to, and his hands reached up and covered mine.

"You are all I think about, every second of every minute of every hour of every day," he confessed, his breath hot against the shell of my ear. How was he composed enough to form such a detailed sentence? I could barely remember my own name! "I can't concentrate on anything but you anymore." He pressed several open-mouthed kisses to the back of my neck and tops of my shoulders, and then I felt him enter me. It was a completely different sensation than this morning or last night had been, and I felt my eyes roll back into my head. His hands tightened over mine as he withdrew almost completely, and then pushed back inside, a little bit rougher this time.

I moaned, loudly.

"You feel so incredible," he whispered. I could feel the sweat starting to make our bodies slick – his chest against my back. It was sensory overload. His warm breath on my ear, his hands gripping mine, our bodies sliding against each other, and him absolutely filling me. I sucked in a shaky breath.

"Faster, Edward," I begged. "Please." His thrusts sped up slightly, but not enough to take me over the edge just yet. It was like… I felt like he was leading me towards a cliff, and I just knew paradise lay over the edge… if I could just reach it.

"Like this?" He asked, sliding into me again. I opened my hands and his fingers immediately threaded through mine, so that we were gripping the headboard together.

"Harder," I gasped. He moaned and shifted slightly, and then his thrusts came hard and fast. I felt the burning low in my belly, and knew that I was about to reach the edge of my cliff.

"I'm not going to … Bella, I'm-"

His grip on my hands tightened almost to the point of pain, and he groaned loudly as he found his release. He continued moving inside of me, though, and after several more thrusts, I felt myself falling over the cliff, too.

We lay there for a moment, neither of us speaking, just letting our breathing even out. After a few minutes, Edward's weight on me became oppressive… because I really, really had to pee.

"Edward?"

"Mm?" He pressed a light kiss to my shoulder that made me shiver.

"I love laying here with you like this, but unless you have a spare set of sheets lying around, you might want to move and let me head to the bathroom." He chuckled and rolled off of me. I missed his warmth immediately. I gathered my clothes from the floor and ran into the bathroom, laughing at the whistled catcalls he made.

When I emerged from the bathroom, I felt sated and happy. I had pulled my clothes back on (hey, half the fun of the deed was the getting naked part, right?), and noticed that Edward had, too. He was pouring water into the coffee pot, but he looked up as I entered and flashed me a brilliant crooked smile.

"That'll teach you to provoke me, right?"

"Please," I scoffed, eyeing the coffee grounds with interest as he scooped them out. "Now I just know how to get what I want faster. Call your 'manhood' into question." He snorted and shook his head.

"Silly Bella," he scolded, motioning me closer. "You can just _take_ what you want." He wrapped his arms around my waist and dropped a light kiss on the tip of my nose. We stood there for a few moments before I broke the silence.

"Edward," I said hesitantly.

"Hm?"

"Would you think I'm a completely awful person if I admitted that I don't really want to meet your parents tonight?" He pulled away slightly to look at me, but didn't release me.

"No, I wouldn't," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not going to force you to do it, but I know you will love them if you do."

"I will," I said quickly. "I wasn't backing out, or anything. I just… complete honesty, right?" He nodded. "Now you know that I'm really nervous."

"Well, let's see if we can't work this out and calm your nerves, okay?" He brushed the back of his knuckles across my cheekbone, and I sighed. "What _exactly_ are you worried about?"

"I'm worried they won't like me. I'm worried I'll embarrass myself by falling flat on my face. What if they think I'm stupid? What if they think I'm not good enough for their son? What if they think I'm a gold digger? What if-"

"Whoa, whoa," he said softly, trying to bite back a smile. It didn't quite work. "That's a lot to be worried about. Okay, first issue – what if they won't like you, right?" I nodded. "Impossible. I liked you right away, and I am by far the most antisocial person in my family. Besides, my parents were hippies. They've retained some of that mentality."

"Free love?" I asked, making the peace sign with my fingers and shaking them. He cringed. Ooh, that promised to be a good story later.

"You have no idea. Second worry?"

"Klutziness rearing its ugly bruised head." He laughed.

"Alice didn't always used to be so graceful, you know." I pulled away slightly to look at him, and he grinned. "You have to swear never to tell her that I told you… but Mom put her in ballet classes to try and improve her balance. God, she'd _kill_ me if she knew I'd told anyone that." Interesting… future blackmail material on the infuriating little pixie? Absolutely.

"Okay, what if they think I'm stupid?"

"And why, may I ask, do you think I'd ever fall for a stupid woman?" He squeezed me closer, and I giggled. "Which leads me directly into the next worry, I think- something about them not thinking you're good enough for me?"

"Yes."

"You are so exasperating sometimes," he laughed, rolling his eyes. "You make me deliriously happy. That will make them happy – therefore, you are more than good enough." I felt the heat creeping into my cheeks.

"Oh."

"And once they try to pay for your dinner-" I opened my mouth to protest, and he covered it with his hand. "They will know – just as I do – that you are most decidedly _not_ a gold digger." I licked his palm, and he recoiled, laughing.

"Do they know they raised such a prude?"

"Excuse me?" he asked, frowning at me.

"With their free love and hippie ideals, how did you justify making me wait so long before putting out?"

His jaw dropped for a moment, and then he laughed. Loudly. I grinned and went into his open arms, snaking my arms around his neck.

"Well, we just won't tell them that, then. I wouldn't want to disappoint them."

"Do they know you're slower than molasses?"

"I thought I just proved that I wasn't," he smirked, his eyes on my face as I blushed.

"You were in letting me get into your pants."

"Keep this up, and my parents will think you're only with me because you're after my body." I stiffened. I hadn't even thought of that… "I was kidding, Bella." He frowned and lifted my chin up so that I would meet his eyes. "You aren't, are you?"

"No," I said, rolling my eyes. He relaxed. "But it's an awfully big perk. You are a very pretty man, Edward Cullen."

"Pretty?" he wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Come on, Bella. Men don't like to be called pretty."

"Okay… handsome?"

"I guess that's better."

"Hot?"

"Keep going. My wounded ego isn't mollified enough yet."

"Attractive?"

"Now you're just being mean."

"I'm running out of words, Edward. How about total babe?"

"Babe refers to a woman. Now you're emasculating me, and you remember how well that worked out."

"Ooh, if I call you pretty again will you go all caveman on me?"

"I may have to, to reclaim my dignity."

"I don't mind if you don't." He groaned and touched his forehead to mine.

"You are going to be the death of me, do you know that?"

"How do you mean?"

"We could stay in this apartment and have sex like bunnies, and I'd happily waste away."

"Is that a promise?" He groaned again, louder this time. "And hey! I'd never lock you up without nourishment. You have your awesome coffee stash."

"That's a start," he admitted. He was silent for a moment. "You really are amazing, do you know that? I know we haven't been together very long, but I feel like I was in a different world before I met you. Now I can't imagine a day without you in it." I tried to hide how my legs suddenly felt like Jell-O.

"As long as you can't imagine your bed without me in it, we're good." I smirked at him, and he surprised me by reaching around and swatting my rear. "Ouch!" I reached down and massaged myself.

"Have to keep you in your place. You _like_ Caveman Edward, remember?" I frowned. Had I told him about Caveman Edward? His grin widened. "Seriously? Caveman Edward? It was just a guess. Damn, Bella!"

"What?" I shot back defensively. "And let's see how _you_ like it!" Before he could stop me, I reached around and smacked his ass. He yelped, and then turned on me. I couldn't help it; I giggled at the predatory look on his face.

"Watch it, baby," he snarked throatily. My heart leapt. "I might like it and want you to do it again." He lunged for me and I dove behind the counter. Unfortunately, that was the same moment that my clumsiness reared its ugly head, and I tripped over my own feet. I went down hard on my butt. Edward seized the opportunity and lunged for me. Before I could crawl away, he was on top of me, pinning me down. Desire flared up inside of me again – dear God, had the man actually turned me into a nympho, like Angela had predicted?

"Well, this feels familiar," he said, his voice husky.

"Fuckhot," I blurted. He blinked.

"What?"

"We were looking for words to describe you. Fuckhot." Was it my imagination, or did his pupils just dilate a little bit more? "And I liked it when you called me baby."

"I like it that even though it's a stupid word, you think I'm fuckhot." I giggled, and he grinned at me.

"How long do we have before we have to meet your parents?" He glanced up at the clock on the microwave.

"An hour and a half."

"Do we have time for Round Four?" I asked tentatively. Instead of talking, he leaned down and kissed me.

I have a fuckhot boyfriend.


	18. Chapter 18

_**author's note:** sorry this has taken so long to post. i have actually had this chapter finished for about two weeks, but haven't been able to post it because i am having computer problems! but enjoy!_

_**Edward POV**_

I watched from where I sat on the bed as she pulled her jeans on, and I frowned. I didn't like the loss of contact with her skin, and truth be told, it made me resent my parents just a little bit because of it. We'd been intimate for less than twenty four hours and already Caveman Edward was threatening to take over permanently – I wanted to keep Bella to myself, in the private bubble of my apartment, and never leave the bed.

"Edward?" Her concerned voice broke me out of my reverie, and I smiled at her.

"What?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm perfect," I said, getting up and crossing the room to her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close. "I was just thinking that I never wanted to leave this room. I'd much prefer keeping you in bed all day."

"That sounds good," she murmured, her voice laced with amusement. "I could use a nap." I barked out a surprised laugh and pressed a kiss to her mouth, my lips still turned up in a smile. Reluctantly, I pulled away from her and watched as she picked up the clothes that we'd discarded on the floor both last night and this morning. I felt my pulse quicken when I saw her pick up my discarded white shirt. I'd never be able to look at a white button-down shirt again without remembering how she'd looked in it, or how she'd surprised me with it.

Jesus, I was so in love with her, it almost hurt.

I cleared my throat and shook my head a little, trying to clear it, and went to pull a clean shirt out of my closet. I pulled one out, pulled it over my head, and turned to watch Bella.

_My_ Bella.

I swear to God, it felt like my heart was trying to break loose from my chest every time I looked at her. This couldn't be normal. Was this normal? My thoughts were frantic, ranging from sex to our study session to sharing meals to sex to our texts and… well, you get the idea. It was kind of scary how much this woman already owned me.

"Do I look okay?" She asked, interrupting my thoughts. She turned in a circle to give me a complete view of her outfit – not too tight jeans, some kind of strappy, lacy emerald green undershirt that I wanted to remove with my teeth, and I watched with disappointment as she pulled on a cream colored v-neck sweater.

"Are you asking me if you look fat?" I teased. Her eyes darted between me and the mirror that hung above my dresser.

"Why? Do I?" Shit.

"Bella," I sighed, moving behind her. I rested my hands on her waist and met her eyes in the mirror, not missing how her eyes darkened. Oh, this would definitely be something we'd revisit when dinner was over. "Look at yourself. You are _gorgeous._ Breathtaking. There isn't an ounce of fat on your body." She rolled her eyes at me.

"Schmooze. We don't have time for you to get back into my pants – and even if we did, you know you wouldn't have to say things like that to me for it to happen."

"I'm not trying to get into your pants. Do you seriously not realize how beautiful you are?"

"I'm cute enough, I think," she said, shrugging. "And apparently you see something in me – though it could just be that you're attracted to a woman who will have unlimited sex with you." She laughed a little bit, and I frowned.

"Don't think I won't revisit that unlimited sex comment later, but for now – really? You-" My phone rang, cutting me off, and I growled. She turned in my arms and pressed a light kiss to my lips.

"I'm fine, Edward. I don't think I'm fat. And I'd be willing to bet that that is your pesky but well-meaning sister on the phone, so let's go meet your parents. I'm looking forward to spending some time with my fuckhot boyfriend alone afterwards."

I ignored my phone and wrapped my arms around her, pressing her close and burying my face in the crook between her neck and shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better about meeting them, I'll be very uncomfortable sitting at a table with my parents while thinking about all of the depraved things that I'm going to do to you when we get home."

"Depraved?" she whimpered. "How depraved?"

"Depraved as in, we're not leaving my bed for at least twenty-four hours after we get back," I clarified. She moaned, and since I was apparently a nymphomaniac all of a sudden, I latched onto her neck with my mouth. Her moan deepened, and I sucked – _hard_. It was definitely going to leave a mark. I smirked to myself and laved the spot with my tongue once, twice. When I pulled away and looked at her, her eyes were dark and hooded. I wanted to throw her down on my bed.

The phone rang again, and I rolled my eyes before releasing Bella and moving to pick it up.

"Quit molesting my friend and get your asses down here!" Alice shrieked. "We're going to be late!"

"Damn it, Alice! It's only dinner! Mom and Dad won't even _be_ here until ten!"

"If you'd picked your phone up five minutes ago, you'd have known that they caught an earlier flight!" She snapped. I glanced at the clock, and then rubbed a hand over my face in annoyance. "Their plane touches down in less than an hour – we need to get going!"

"Go ahead without us. We'll leave here within the next ten minutes."

"So help you God, Edward, you'd better-"

"We'll leave in ten minutes, Alice. I swear on my Volvo." I heard laughter behind me, and turned to see Bella giggling into her hand. My eyebrows shot up and I smiled at her.

"Okay," Alice sighed resignedly. "They're coming in at gate B15. Seriously, keep your pants on, and get your ass in gear!" I heard the click as she disconnected, and I closed the phone and shoved it into my pocket.

"What's going on?"

"Apparently my parents caught an earlier flight, and I'm supposed to keep my pants on and leave here within the next ten minutes, or my Volvo belongs to Alice." She blinked.

"What does keeping your pants on have to do with anything?"

"She knows I can't keep my hands off of you," I pointed out, enjoying the way her cheeks flushed. She shook her head and smiled at me.

"She also knows that I like your hands on me." I sucked in a breath.

"This night is going to be torture," I declared, already frustrated. She laughed breathily.

"Let's get going. I promise not to torture you _too_ much."

"Torture me?" my eyebrows shot up. She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door.

"Well, I'm assuming that from the way the side of my neck is throbbing that you left a mark, so I'm going to have to pay you back for giving me a hickey just before I meet your parents for the first time." I gave her what I hoped was a sheepish look, but she laughed and shook her head. "Don't even pretend with me, Edward Cullen. I know you _love_ marking me. I love it too – but I don't want your parents to see it."

I grabbed my keys and wallet off of the counter and followed her out the front door. I locked it, then grabbed her hand and laced our fingers together. "So you don't want my parents to know that I completely own you?" I teased.

"I'm sure they'll see that as soon as they see the way I look at you," she answered, nearly making my heart stop. "I would just prefer that they not know that I've defiled their baby boy." I laughed.

"Hippies, remember?" I pointed out. She smiled. I lifted our joined hands to my lips and pressed them against the back of her hand before releasing it and opening the car door for her. "They'd be more disappointed in me than you."

"So I don't have to worry about them thinking I'm loose?" I caught her lips up gently in mine a few times before answering.

"I'm a grown man," I explained, loving the flush of her cheeks and the glazed eyes she was watching me through. "I could throw you down on the table and have sex with you in front of them if I wanted to, and they wouldn't be able to say a thing about it." I watched her lower herself into the seat, and I shut the door before walking around and getting in myself. I had fastened my seatbelt, started the engine, and was backing out when I realized that she hadn't said anything for a bit. I glanced at her as I put the car in drive. Her eyes were shut tightly, and her lips were slightly parted.

"Are you okay?" I asked, reaching across the center console and grabbing her hand. She threaded her fingers through mine, and I squeezed. She shook her head once and gave me a shaky smile.

"I'm fine."

"Why so quiet?"

"I was just picturing you throwing me down on your table." My arm jerked, and the car swerved suddenly. Thank God there hadn't been anyone else on the road near us. I sucked in a quick breath.

"Jesus, Bella," I breathed. "Baby, please don't say things like that when I'm driving," I begged. I glanced over at her and saw that she was gnawing mercilessly on her bottom lip. I groaned. "And please stop doing that. I happen to love kissing you, and I won't be able to if your lip is torn open. That would be a travesty."

"You called me baby again," she pointed out. "I told you I liked it." She hesitated for a minute, and then smiled. "And I love kissing you, too. I'd spend all day doing it, if I could."

"I'd spend all day _and_ all night doing it if I could," I shot back, grinning. She laughed.

"I'd take a class in it, if they offered one."

"A class on kissing?"

"A class on kissing _you_," she clarified. "With lots of practical demonstrations, of course."

"So you think you don't kiss me the right way?" I teased. "You need to be taught how?"

"If you were the teacher, I would be a very dedicated student." I laughed and squeezed her hand.

"I have to admit, this is one of the most enjoyable conversations I've ever had in my life," I said, glancing at her.

"Well, I don't like to brag, but I'm an excellent conversationalist."

"That's not all you're good at. I don't think you need any further instruction on kissing – you're pretty good at it."

"Pretty good?" she asked, wrinkling her nose. Damn, that was cute.

"Terrific?" I offered.

"Hmph."

"Amazing?"

"Keep going, I'm not placated yet. Remember how you made me stroke your ego when I supposedly insulted your 'manhood'?" I pretended to think as I pulled into the airport's short term parking and took a ticket. "Well?"

"I'm thinking," I said, stalling for time. I found a parking space fairly quickly and pulled in. I cut the engine and turned to her, not missing her look of surprise. I leaned over and crooked my finger at her, beckoning her closer. She leaned over the console, stopping when our faces were barely an inch apart.

"You," I said, punctuating my word with a short, firm kiss, "are," _kiss_ "the" _kiss_ "best" _kiss_ "kisser" _kiss_ "I've" _kiss kiss_ "ever" _kiss_ "had" _kiss_ "my" _kiss_ "lips" _kiss_ "near."

I started to pull away from her, but she grabbed the back of my head and forced my mouth back to hers. I moaned when her tongue forced my lips apart and began to slide against mine. She tugged on my hair and forced me closer to her, and I maneuvered my hands around to cup her ass. She obliged me by scooting up a little. I gave a little squeeze, and I kissed away the moan that made me want to devour her right here in the car. I moved my mouth to kiss down her jaw, and she gasped.

"Do we have enough time to christen the Volvo?" I pulled away and stared at her. Jesus Christ, she was serious!

"I wish we did, baby," I whispered, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "But we need to get in there, or Alice will castrate me."

"Over my dead body," she swore, her eyes fixed on my mouth. I smiled. "Fine, we'll go – but promise me something?"

"Anything."

"Promise me that as soon as we're alone in your apartment, we're going to screw like bunnies." I barked out a surprised laugh, and gave her a quick (but intense) kiss. I traced her lips with the tip of my finger and met her eyes.

"Bella, when we get back home, I'm going to fuck you so hard that you won't be able to walk tomorrow."

Before I had time to ask if her gasp meant I'd gone too far, she spoke. "I'm seriously considering tying you up and kidnapping you right now." The thought of restraints being involved was a little bit of a turn on, even though I'd never done anything like that before. With Bella, though, I thought I might enjoy it. I grinned and pressed a light kiss to her cheek before getting out of the car and moving around to open her door for her.

"Kidnapping?" I questioned, reaching for her hand. We started walking.

"Sexnapping?" she offered. I grinned again.

"Is it considered a _napping_ of any kind if the other party is willing?" I wondered aloud.

"How did you turn me into a nympho?" I threw my head back and laughed.

"I think this is referred to as the 'honeymoon phase' of our relationship – where all we want to do is have sex."

"So after you're tired of the sex, I'm history?" she teased, her eyes sparkling. I tugged on her hand and pulled her closer to me before wrapping my arm around her waist. I shoved my hand into her back pocket and squeezed. I'd always rolled my eyes when I'd seen couples in public doing that, but now I understood the draw. Not only was it a public declaration that Bella belonged to me, I also got to breathe in her scent, feel her warm body next to mine, and keep my hand on her ass. It was a win-win-win situation. I couldn't help my smirk at the thought.

"No way. What if you get tired of the sex first? Are you going to get rid of me?"

"I'm all in, Edward," she said, reaching her arm around my waist and shoving her hand into my back pocket. I gave a little yelp when she squeezed my ass, and she smiled innocently. "Besides, if I get tired of the sex – which I _won't_, by the way – I'll just keep you around for your coffee." I laughed and pressed my lips against her forehead.

"Oh my God," Alice declared as she walked up to us. "Do you realize how sickeningly sweet you two look? Jeez, everyone is staring at the lovebirds. Mom and Dad are _totally_ going to be able to tell that you're getting laid. Well, I mean they would have anyway, with that ginormous _thing_ on Bella's neck, but still."

I knew without looking that Bella's face was as red as a tomato. I narrowed my eyes at Alice.

"Her hickey is still smaller than the one you've got," I pointed out. Bella's head shot up, and Alice's hand flew to the spot just below her right ear. She turned and smacked Jasper lightly on the arm.

"You said you were going to do it somewhere where it wasn't visible," she accused. Jasper shrugged and gave her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, darlin'," he drawled. "You're just so irresistible, I couldn't help myself." Her scowl faded and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"And _we're_ the disgusting ones," I told Bella. She smiled and squeezed my ass again, and I returned the favor. "You're not mad at me for the hickey, are you?" I asked, leaning down to whisper into her ear. She shook her head.

"I can always cover mine up with my hair," she said, not bothering to lower her voice. Alice broke away from Jasper and frowned at us. "In fact, I wouldn't mind if you wanted to give me ano-"

"That's enough!" Alice butted in. Jasper and I exchanged amused looks, even though I was seriously turned on. Bella shrugged at Alice, even though she shot her a smile. "Let's go find Emmett and Rosalie."

"Rosalie?" Bella echoed as we followed them. "As in, Rosalie Hale?"

"Yeah," Alice said, slowing so she could walk next to us. "Why, do you know her?"

"Not really – I've just seen the posters up on campus with her photo on them."

"Oh! I totally forgot about that! Yeah, she was nominated by her sorority for homecoming court."

"Already?" I asked, wondering why Emmett hadn't bragged about bagging a sorority chick. I usually heard about all of his conquests. Interesting.

"Look, there's Emmett!" I looked up to see my brother speaking to a tall, statuesque blonde. And by speaking, I mean he was trying to suck her face off. "Emmett!" Alice yelled. They broke apart, and my brother smiled and waved us over. The blonde just looked bored.

"And she thought this was too much of a display?" Bella asked, gesturing between us. I shrugged.

"That's Alice for you."

"So it's socially acceptable for me to shove my tongue down your throat, but I'm not allowed to put my hand on your ass?" Bella seemed genuinely confused, which made me laugh. "Alice!"

"What?" She stopped and waited for us to catch up to her.

"Why is Emmett allowed to give her dirty CPR in front of everyone, but I'm not allowed to grab Edward's ass?" Emmett roared with laughter. The blonde hid a smile behind her hand. Alice just looked exasperated. Dirty CPR? Jesus! My girl was funny as hell.

"Kissing is natural," Alice explained.

"So is grabbing a fine ass," Bella argued, letting go of me and moving to stand behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see her gesturing to the body part in question. My smile was so wide, it made my face hurt.

"Thanks, baby," I said. She smiled, but turned back to Alice.

"It's gross! I don't want to see your hand on his butt! That's my baby brother!"

"By like, two minutes! How about this, does this bother you?" Bella reached forward and grabbed my ass with both hands and squeezed- hard. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph – it just got _way_ hotter in here.

"Stop!" Alice shrieked, covering her eyes with her hands.

"Why is Emmett allowed to practically suck his girlfriend's face off, but I'm not allowed to touch Edward's ass?" Bella demanded, her hands now on her hips. "Would it be better if I shoved my tongue down his throat?" She moved closer and I opened my arms, but Alice jumped between us.

"Bella Swan, if you even _think_ about it, I swear I will send my brother every last cell phone pic I took of you both during our Victoria's Secret shopping trip _and_ while we were at the bar!" Bella stopped to consider this.

"He's going to see me in every one of those things I got at some point," she said, shrugging. _Jesus!_ Were my eyes actually bugging out of my head? Because it felt like they were!

"Alice, you can tell Mom and Dad that Bella and I had an emergency at home," I said, reaching for Bella. Emmett laughed and his girlfriend shook her head, even though she was smiling.

"Alice Cullen, I will grope my boyfriend anywhere, any_time_ I damn well please, whether it grosses you out or not!" Bella declared, pushing my sister aside and letting me wrap my arms around her. "I spent the better half of the morning listening to you call your boyfriend fuckhot!"

"But Jasper's not related to you," Alice whined. I snorted. The girls had actually started to draw a little audience, but it was too funny for me to point that fact out. "Besides, you spent the _rest_ of the morning rolling around in bed with him!"

"I did not!" Bella shrieked. "We did it on the counter!" At that, the crowd erupted into cheers. Bella glanced around and her face turned beet red – and she promptly buried it in the front of my shirt. I couldn't hide the shit-eating grin as complete strangers approached me and patted me on the back in congratulations. Emmett was laughing his ass off.

"Wardo, you are my new hero," he proclaimed. Just this once, I'd let the nickname slide.

"What has Edward done now? And why are all of those people smiling at you?" I turned to see my mother watching us with an amused look, and I got the distinct impression that she knew _exactly_ what was going on.

**BPOV**

.GOD.

My boyfriend's mother had totally heard every single word that Alice and I had exchanged – she had to. She was standing way too close not to have heard it all. I was mortified. No, I was beyond mortified. I guess I didn't need to worry about hiding the hickey anymore, since everyone in the damned airport now knew that Edward and I had had sex on his kitchen counter today.

"Mom, this is my girlfriend, Bella," Edward said. I turned and offered her an embarrassed smile and my hand. Instead of shaking my hand, she pulled me into a tight hug.

"Bella, it's so nice to meet you. I'm Esme, but you can call me Mom if you want to." My eyes flew to Edward, who was just grinning like the Cheshire cat. Didn't that freak him out? It was kind of freaking _me_ out.

"It's nice to meet you, too." And then, as an afterthought, I blurted, "I'm sorry I had sex with your son on his counter." My face went up in flames, and everyone started laughing, even Edward – that traitor! Esme leaned in so only I could hear her.

"Don't be sorry – I'm glad you've found each other. It's good to see him happy. Besides, there are worse places to have sex than on the kitchen counter." Then she pulled away and winked at me before turning to Alice. "And this must be Jasper." I sunk back into Edward's arms as his mother introduced herself.

"I will never be able to look your mother in the eyes again," I mumbled into his shoulder. He laughed and rubbed my back gently.

"One thing is for sure – she'll never forget you." I snorted. "Are you really upset?"

"Humiliated."

"Don't be," he said gently, pulling away just far enough to look at me. He pressed one hand to the side of my face and caressed my cheek with his thumb. "Brutal honesty, remember?" I nodded. "This has been the most amazing day with you."

"Even though I told most of the general public that we had counter sex?"

"Do you think I'm embarrassed by that?"

"Aren't you?"

"Not at all. Now they know you're mine, and that they need to stay away. I'm proud to have you on my arm, Bella."

"Caveman," I muttered, not fighting the smile that turned my lips up. He grinned at me.

"You love it," he accused. I nodded my head in admittance, and heard a loud sigh behind me. I turned to see his mother watching us, tears in her eyes and a huge smile on her face. "Sorry," he said, sounding anything but.

"You two are the most adorable thing I've ever seen," she declared.

"Funny – I thought _I_ was the most adorable thing you'd ever seen." I watched as a tall, gorgeous man with blonde hair wrapped his arms around Esme from behind. She giggled.

"No, you've been replaced. Edward and Bella are cuter." The man dropped a kiss on Esme's cheek. "Carlisle, this is Bella, Edward's girlfriend. Bella, this is Carlisle, my husband." He turned his eyes to me, and then I saw the resemblance. Edward had obviously gotten his looks from his father – right down to the god-like face and stunning green eyes.

"It's nice to meet you, Bella," he said, his voice every bit as melodious as his son's.

"It's nice to meet you too," I replied, and then clamped my lips together. I didn't want to release any more embarrassing word vomit like I had with his mother. I watched as Jasper and Rosalie both introduced themselves, and then Edward spoke up.

"So who are you guys riding with, and what's our itinerary for tonight?"

"They're gonna ride with me and Rosie," Emmett said, wrapping his arm around her.

"And we're going to La Bella Italia," Alice said. "It's on fourth street, downtown."

"I know where that is," Edward said, nodding. "Do you need help with your bags?"

"No, we're good." Esme shot me a knowing look and smiled. "We'll meet you there in thirty minutes."

"Okay. We're going to take off, then." Edward kept one arm around me and steered me away from them.

"Use protection!" Carlisle called after us. Edward burst out laughing, and I wanted to sink into the floor. I was quiet all the way to the car. Edward didn't say anything, but kept giving me concerned looks. I was quiet as he pulled away from the airport, too. I didn't speak until we'd been driving for a few minutes.

"Pull over."

"What?" he shot me an incredulous look. We were nearing a rest area off of the highway.

"Please, pull over." He looked concerned again.

"If my family offended or embarrassed-"

"Edward, I want to christen the damned Volvo, so pull the hell over at the rest stop," I demanded. He blinked and looked at me as though he hadn't actually heard me, but he signaled and changed lanes so he could take the exit. "They already think we're going to have sex anyway."

"We don't have to have sex just because they think we will," he said, finally finding his voice.

"I _want_ to have sex with you. Now. In the car." I saw his adam's apple bob slightly as he swallowed, but he pulled into a parking space at the end of the row and cut the engine. There were no other cars around, and it was starting to get dark. "Does this seat recline?" I asked, pointing to his seat. He nodded and reached down to push the lever or button or whatever made it move. When he was lying down all the way, I unbuttoned my jeans, lowered the zipper, and wriggled out of them. He sucked in a breath.

"Bella, have I told you today how amazing you are, or how incredibly lucky I am to have you as my girlfriend?" I tugged off my white lace boyshorts, and his eyes darkened. I reached over and began unzipping his jeans.

"Why? Because I'm about to ride you in your car?" I teased. He didn't smile. "What?"

"I like it when you talk like that."

"I'll do it more, then. And also – remind me to wear a skirt the next time we plan on having car sex." He lifted his hips and I pushed his jeans down – apparently he had decided to go commando today. Horny Bella approves.

"We're going to have car sex again after today?" he asked, sounding amused. I crawled over the console and moved around until I was straddling him. "This seems like such a crime. I can't see you properly, and you're bound to be uncomfortable."

"It's still hot," I said, taking him in my hand and guiding him to my entrance. I sank down on him, and his eyes rolled back in his head.

"Mmm, you're right. Jesus, Bella," he moaned.

"I've never done this before, so tell me if I'm doing it wrong," I breathed. I pushed myself up a little, and then slammed down onto him. He gasped. "Did I hurt you?"

"Fuck, no. Do it again." I did. Over and over until I was screaming his name with my release. When we had finished, I kissed him, sliding my tongue against his lazily. His fingers tightened their grip on the bare skin of my hips. "You are incredible."

"You're not so bad yourself, hot ass," I smirked, reluctantly climbing off of him. I heard the sounds of him fixing his clothes as I struggled back into mine. He laughed. It was my favorite sound in the world, next to the sounds that he made while we were having sex.

"That was hilarious, by the way," he informed me. He started the car back up and I strapped on my seatbelt as he merged back onto the highway.

"What?"

"When you grabbed my ass with both hands in the middle of the airport." He snickered, and I rolled my eyes.

"That was the cavewoman in me asserting my God-given right to grab any part of your anatomy that I want to, no matter where we are or who's watching."

"I don't know why she got so freaked out," he said, shaking his head. "I can't count the number of guys I've seen her molest in front of me."

"At least I didn't grab your junk in front of her." His laughter was loud, and because his smile was so big, I could see the dimples that matched Emmett's. He was gorgeous… and he was all mine. I must have been very, very good in a previous life to deserve him.

"This is true. I don't think I've ever smiled this much before," he said, shooting me an amused glance before pulling into the restaurant's parking lot. "You are incredibly fun to be around, even outside of the bedroom, Miss Swan." I smacked his arm playfully, and he grinned before getting out of the car and coming around to open my door. When I was out and the door was shut, he pressed me up against the side of the car. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, stroking the skin with my fingertips. He shivered. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"I know you were nervous and that you would've rather stayed at home, but I'm glad you came to meet my parents. It means a lot to me."

"Thank you for wanting me to meet them," I answered, hating the way my voice wavered just the tiniest bit. "I'm just thankful that I was able to shut up when I said hi to your dad." He chuckled.

"You know my mom is secretly thrilled to know that her son isn't gay, after all," he said. I pressed my lips to his once, barely touching them, and smiled.

"Well, you could always throw me down on the table and show everyone just how _not_ gay you are."

"Oh my god!" We turned to see Alice covering her eyes. Jasper laughed and tugged her towards the restaurant. "You guys had enough time to get it out of your system before you got here!"

"Once is not enough!" I called after her, snickering when I heard Edward's laughter.

"Did you hear that, Carlisle?" I froze, and Edward turned his head towards the end of the parking lot that Alice had come from. "They had sex on the way over here! I can't remember the last time we had sex in a car."

Edward's forehead met mine, and he squeezed his eyes shut. "Oh, god," he muttered.

"We can remedy that this evening, my love," Carlisle answered, turning to look at Emmett. "Son, can you and Rosalie catch a ride home with your sister? Your mother would like to have sex with me in a car."

"Dad!" Emmett gasped, looking scandalized. Rosalie covered her mouth hand and laughed. "Absolutely not! Make Alice ride with us and you can defile _her_ car."

We followed them into the restaurant, and Edward pulled my chair out for me when we were seated. The waitress took our orders immediately, and I desperately tried to avoid making eye contact with Edward's parents… to no avail. Because of course, since that's where I didn't want to look, it's exactly where my eyes went first. I'll admit, it was kind of sweet to see them; his arm was draped around her shoulders, and she was snuggled into his side.

"So, Bella," Carlisle began, looking up at me. "Tell me a little bit about yourself."

"Um," I said intelligently. Edward shot me a reassuring smile. "I like Edward." Alice giggled and Edward's smile got bigger. "I mean, I'm sorry. I have this thing that when I get nervous or embarrassed, I kind of blurt things out without meaning to."

"It's fine, honestly," Esme said, waving her hand dismissively. "The first time Carlisle met my father, he told him that I had a nice rack."

"That isn't _exactly_ what-" Carlisle began.

"Oh really? So when you said 'Mr. Platt, I will take good care of your daughter and her perky tits' you _didn't_ mean I had a nice rack?" Carlisle's face turned red, and I noticed that all of the Cullen kids were staring at their father, mouths open.

"I wasn't – I wasn't myself, and you know it!"

"What he means to say is that he was high," Esme snorted. Carlisle looked like he wanted to die. Or become a part of the table. Or maybe both. "He got so nervous about meeting my parents that he had to smoke a joint to relax."

"Esme," he moaned, rubbing the back of his neck, just like Edward did when he was nervous.

"I told everyone in the airport that Edward and I had sex in his kitchen before you got there," I blurted, hating how uncomfortable he looked. He blinked at me, and his face bloomed into the same beautiful smile that I loved on his son. "But in my defense, Alice was making a big deal about my touching his butt."

"I thought we were past this!" Alice piped up, frowning.

"Alice," Edward said calmly, taking a sip of his soda. "My girlfriend _owns_ me. She can put her hands anywhere she damn well pleases." My stomach felt funny. It was doing backflips, it had butterflies, it was totally unstable – I needed to get him to a bed, fast.

"I own you?" I repeated breathily, my eyes locked on his. I felt his hand descend on my thigh and squeeze gently. It felt like someone had turned the thermostat _way_ up.

"You kinda do," he admitted, smiling at me.

"Oh, god! Daddy, look what you did!" Alice accused. Carlisle laughed.

"I think it's nice," Rosalie said. Edward and I both looked at her from across the table. She arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow. "What? I think it's cute how into each other you both are. It's nice to see another couple with such a strong connection. And Alice, what_ was_ the big deal about her touching your brother?" She turned and looked at Alice, but before she'd turned her attention completely away, I mouthed the words 'thank you' to her. She shrugged, but a tiny smile played at her lips.

Alice harrumphed.

"Why is everyone ganging up on me?"

"I was just wondering. I mean, Emmett and I were getting pretty hot and heavy with the kissing, and the touching that Bella and Edward were doing was fairly innocent."

"Touching my brother's butt was _not_ innocent!" Alice defended. I couldn't help but notice that Edward's mother was eyeing her son and I with a soft smile on her face. Carlisle was watching Alice, his smile wide. God, his eyes even crinkled at the corners when he smiled, just like Edward's!

"It's more innocent than shoving her tongue down his throat."

"You didn't have a problem with Bella touching me before," Edward pointed out, half frowning at her. "In fact, you're the one who encouraged her to-"

"Okay, fine!" Alice said, throwing her hands up in the air. "Yes, I know it's a double standard, and Rosalie, I'm profusely sorry for what I'm about to say, but I won't mean it the way it sounds, so please don't take it that way. I'm used to seeing Emmett make public displays like that, but not Edward. I'm glad Edward and Bella are together and totally into each other-"

"Literally," Emmett added, earning a smack on the arm from Rosalie.

"Ew, Emmett. I'm glad you guys are so happy – I guess it's just going to take some getting used to, seeing it happen, is all." She said this last bit directly to us. Edward's gaze softened, and he smiled at her.

"I thought it was funny," he admitted. "You and Bella provoking each other."

"I totally grabbed you in public," I laughed. Alice cracked a smile too.

"Okay, that _was_ pretty funny," she conceded.

"I was thoroughly entertained," Rosalie piped up, nodding. Emmett smiled at her.

"Bella's pretty badass," he added. My eyebrows shot up.

"Emmett, I think it's pretty safe to say that while I have been called many things, badass has never been one of them."

"You have balls the size of casaba melons, Bells," he disagreed. "What other girl would grab her boyfriend's ass in the middle of a crowded airport where his parents could be watching? No, I think Bella Badass is your new nickname."

I snorted with laughter, even though I knew my face was red.

"I prefer cute ass," Edward interjected.

"I prefer that we not talk about my ass at the dinner table," I said finally, shooting a glance at Edward's highly amused parents. "Especially not with your parents at the table."

"Do you think they care?" Emmett asked, shaking his head. "They can handle a little ass talk, after the torture they've subjected us to over the years."

"Excuse me?" Esme demanded, her eyes wide. "I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm sure. I have always been the very picture of social decorum." Emmett snorted, and even Edward and Alice joined in with their laughter.

"Mom, really?"

"Esme, Bella and Rosalie already know about our plans for car sex," Carlisle reminded her. "You're not exactly subtle, sweetheart."

"Car sex?" Alice wailed, wrinkling her nose. "No! I didn't need to hear that!" She covered her ears.

"Deny it all you want, baby sis," Emmett said, grinning broadly. "It's _your_ car they're gonna defile."

Alice's wailing was heard by the entire restaurant.

**EPOV**

I couldn't remember having a better evening.

The visit with my parents had gone splendidly, and we'd all agreed to meet for lunch the next day at another local restaurant, and Bella and I were on our way home. She was silent, but she kept shooting me these little looks that made my stomach flip every time. Our hands were joined on top of the console between the seats, and every time she looked away, she would squeeze my hand.

"You're being awfully quiet," I said finally.

"Yeah, sorry," she said, shooting me a smile. "I was just thinking about how great your parents are. After I finally stopped worrying about whether or not your parents would like me, I had fun. Emmett's loud and kind of obnoxious, but I like that he thinks I'm a badass." I grinned at her.

"I still think cute ass is a better name."

"Yeah – what's up with my ass fixation today?" she wondered aloud. I chuckled.

"I don't know, but I don't mind it."

"You wouldn't," she shot back. "Since you're the one who got some action."

"Yes I am," I said smugly. She laughed and shook her head. "But if I recall correctly – and I do – I promised you some action when we get home – and we're almost there."

I didn't miss the way she sucked in a breath and bit down on her bottom lip. "I thought I was going to have to remind you."

"You thought I forgot?" I asked incredulously. "Are you kidding me?"

"Well, I wasn't sure," she said, shaking her head. "I know _I_ haven't been able to get it out of my head," she whispered, looking at me through the fringe of her lashes. I put a little more pressure on the gas pedal, and she giggled.

"I can't believe you told my sister I was going to see you in everything you got from Victoria's Secret," I said.

"All four hundred dollars of it," she agreed loftily. I almost choked on my own tongue.

"She spent four hundred dollars on underwear?"

"Not _just_ underwear."

"What the hell else can you buy in that store?"

"Eventually you'll get to see it all. Maybe it would've been more fun shopping for it if you'd been there with me – I could've tried it on with you in the dressing room, and you could've picked out what you liked…" She shrugged, and I tugged at the collar of my t-shirt.

"Bella, I'm tempted to drive you to the mall right now. I do have my wallet and credit card on me, you know." She giggled again. I was totally addicted to that sound. I cleared my throat. "Do I… do I get to _see_ you in something else tonight?"

"Who else am I going to show it to?" I pulled into the driveway – finally – and cut the engine. I think it was the fastest I'd ever moved in my life as I ran around the car and opened her door. She grabbed my hand and yanked me up the stairs, and by the time I managed to get the key in the lock, we were both laughing breathlessly.

"Okay, woman – go do what you need to do," I demanded, dropping a fierce kiss on her lips. She pressed herself against me.

"Oh, but I'd rather stay out here and-"

"Go! I want to see you in some four hundred dollar underwear-" she giggled, "-and I won't let you get that far if you stay out here now!" she turned to walk away, and I swatted her rear. She gasped and her eyes widened. Oh Jesus – did she like to be spanked? I didn't have a chance to ask her, because then she was gone. I ran frantically around the apartment, lighting every candle I could find (which wasn't many – I made a mental note to buy some more candles next time I was out), and I put on the CD I'd made for her. Then I stripped down and jumped under the comforter.

It was the longest wait of my life.

Apparently Bella had decided to prolong my torture and take a shower.

I waited impatiently. I must have run my fingers through my hair about a million times – it was probably standing straight up by this point, but I didn't care. I was waiting on Bella to join me in bed so I could spend my excess energy on her – after all, I _had_ promised her, hadn't I?

Finally I heard the soft sound of the water stop, and my heart started pounding crazily. It seemed like forever, but several glances at the clock on my nightstand told me it was less than five minutes later when Bella emerged from the bathroom. I sucked in a breath and tried to slow the insanely rapid pace of my pulse – _Jesus._ I was going to have a stroke if I didn't calm down.

She was ethereal.

Her hair hung in wet waves around her shoulders, and I could see – even in the dim candlelight – that she was biting her lower lip. Was she afraid I was going to laugh at her, or dislike what I saw? No chance of that happening – ever. I crooked a finger at her and motioned for her to come to me. As she moved, I took in the curve of her breasts just above the baby blue satiny bra; the way the barely-there matching panties had bows on the hips; the matching garter belt that was clipped to a set of white stockings that started at mid-thigh. She stopped at the side of the bed and studied my face. I wondered what she saw reflected there that gave her pause.

"Four hundred dollars well spent," I croaked. She giggled, and the tension was gone. She straddled me on the bed above the covers, and I could feel my eyes crossing – I could feel her heat through the comforter. She leaned over to kiss me, and my hands sought out the soft skin of her breasts of their own accord. Our mouths met at the same moment that my hands cupped her breasts, and she moaned into my mouth. Less than a minute of kissing had passed, and she was already grinding against me.

"We can go slow later," she panted, throwing her head back as I attacked her neck with my lips and tongue. "Right now you have a promise to keep." It was my turn to moan. I pushed her gently off of me and pushed the comforter off. Her eyes widened when she saw that I was already completely naked, and she scrambled to move to the center of the bed. She started to turn over so that she was lying on her back, but I stopped her. I yanked her back up so that she was on all fours with her ass in the air, and I swatted her right cheek once with my open palm. The sound echoed around my apartment, quickly followed by the sound of her moaning – loudly. Apparently my hunch had been correct. I grabbed the lace of her underwear and pushed it to the side before sliding into her. This time her moan was louder.

"Oh, god," she breathed. I pulled out slowly, and then slammed into her. She gasped. I was trying hard to keep my focus, because if I really let go, this was not going to last long – and while that would be okay for me, it wouldn't for her, and I wanted to her to get pleasure from this too.

I repeated my action, pulling out almost completely, and then forcing my way back inside a little rougher than I normally would have. Her moans helped spur me on. I reentered faster this time, and then a little faster than that time, thrusting faster and harder than I ever had before. I felt the sweat rolling down my skin, and still I pounded into her. I had to recite useless facts in my head to keep my orgasm at bay – I went through sheet music in my head. I mentally played six different piano pieces. I even considered thinking about dinner – until I felt her tighten around me, and she yelled out my name.

"Fuck! _Edward!_" And then I was coming, too. I let go and came with her. Finally I leaned over and pressed several light kisses against her back, fully aware that we were both panting and trying to catch our breath. I glanced over at my nightstand and the clock told me that we'd been at it for ten minutes. That was it? Was she going to think it sucked because I'd come so quickly? She collapsed beneath me and rolled over onto her back.

"Please tell me that we are going to do that at least once a day," she begged, her chest heaving as she looked up at me.

"Once a day?" I repeated, dumbstruck. My brain was still foggy after such an intense orgasm.

"Well, I like our other sex too, but that was amazing. I want to do that a lot more. Though maybe not _too_ much, because I might get sore and not be able to have sex at all, and that would be a tragedy. Okay, how about three times a week?"

I didn't respond, I just gave a breathy laugh and collapsed beside her on the bed.


End file.
